Experts to probe jets’ near miss

BRITISH aviation experts are to examine the reasons why two military aircraft flew in to controlled airspace before sweeping past a Cork-bound airplane, forcing the pilot to switch to manual and execute a sharp 1,000ft dive.

Senior members of the Royal Air Force are expected to be called before an air proximity investigation panel to explain the actions of the pilots. Aer Arann Flight RA464 was 20 minutes out of Edinburgh and had just passed the west coast of Scotland when the pilot of the commercial flight saw one of the jets flying right to left across his eyeline.

Air traffic control immediately ordered the dive and the pilot had no time to warn the 32 passengers on board. Passengers on the 2pm flight to Cork were then told by the pilot that the airplane had just been involved in a near miss with a British military jet and that there was visual contact as it flew right to left across his eyeline.