Emirates Boeing in near-miss with Canadian VIP jet

Toronto: An Emirates airliner was involved in a near-miss incident with a Canadian government jet over the Rockies nearly three months ago, Gulf News has learnt.

The Boeing 777-200 was en route from Los Angeles to Dubai when it came within 700 feet of a Canadian Forces Challenger jet, used to carry senior government officials, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Both aircraft were flying at 37,000 feet around noon near Penticton, British Columbia, on April 24 when the collision avoidance system on both aircraft suddenly sounded.

The military jet and the Emirates plane passed within 700 feet of one another vertically after sudden last-second manoeuvring.

Both planes were flying east when the near-collision incident happened, sounding urgent Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) warnings in both cockpits.

The Emirates pilots put their huge jet into an immediate steep climb while the military pilots forced their Challenger down, avoiding the mid-air collision.

Immediately after the near-miss, the Challenger jet, flying from Vancouver to Ottawa, was instructed to descend and alter course.

When fully loaded, the Emirates plane can carry 266 passengers.

An Emirates spokesperson told Gulf News the incident is under investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and Emirates is unable to provide further comment.

With inputs from Nadia Saleem, Staff Reporter