Two Aircraft Narrowly Avoid Crash at Sydney Airport

A collision between a Jetstar and a Qatar Airways aircraft was narrowly averted at Sydney Airport in Australia on Sunday. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into the incident.

A Jetstar Airbus A320 was preparing to take off for the Gold Coast when its crew spotted a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 being towed by an airport tug on a crossing taxiway. Both aircraft then came to an abrupt stop.

One member of Jetstar's cabin crew was injured during the sudden braking, and the connection between the tow tractor and the front landing gear of the Qatar Airways aircraft was also damaged.

Jetstar stated that its aircraft was following air traffic control instructions and that the pilots had to brake sharply when the other aircraft approached dangerously close. Qatar Airways did not immediately comment on the incident.

Airservices Australia announced that, following the incident, it had implemented wider spacing between departures at the airport to ensure operational safety. It has not yet commented on the cause of the incident, as an investigation is ongoing.

The incident occurred one day after widespread flight delays in Sydney related to a shortage of air traffic controllers.