An Iberian airliner almost collided with an Israeli cargo plane two weeks ago, on Shabbos. The two planes were entering Israeli coastal area, preparing to land, each at a different altitude. The passenger jet suddenly changed its altitude for unknown reasons, coming dangerously close to the cargo plane.

Control tower agents realized the dangerous move and ordered the Iberia pilot to immediately change course, averting a collision. Air traffic controllers believe the incident was the result of human error, adding the plane’s TCAS warning system would have began sounding an alert if the planes got a bit closer.

One air traffic controller stated that since Israel’s airport was downgraded, nothing was actually done to improve the situation pertaining to air safety deficiencies.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)