Two UAE passenger aircraft avert collision

Two passenger aircraft, believed to be UAE-owned, avoided a mid-air collision on Friday morning over Pakistani airspace, local daily Gulf News reported on Sunday.

Both flights were Lahore-bound, with one coming from Abu Dhabi and the other from Dubai. Both pilots were alerted by their onboard aircraft collision avoidance systems, the daily reported, citing Pakistani newspaper The Nation.
 
Abu Dhabi-owned Etihad Airways confirmed that one of its passenger planes was forced to take action on its flight path.
 
“Etihad Airways is aware of an incident within Pakistani airspace involving flight EY241 to Lahore on Friday, 14 December. The prescribed minimum separation between this flight and an aircraft of another airline was infringed. Automated aircraft systems advised our pilots who took appropriate action in accordance with their standard operating procedures,” an Etihad spokesperson was quoted as saying.
 
“Safety was not compromised and the aircraft continued to Lahore without incident. An investigation of the circumstances is under way,” he added.

However, the identity of the other aircraft could not be confirmed.

Both aircraft were reportedly flying at 34,000 feet at around 1 am on Friday when the incident occurred, Gulf News said.

The passenger planes had to fly without a radar system support as it had malfunctioned, Gulf News reported citing unnamed sources in The Nation's report.