Airliners 'close to collision' at Heathrow

Two British passenger aircraft came within about 112 feet of a collision while an air traffic controller was supervising a trainee, a report found today.

The near-miss, at Heathrow Airport in April last year, saw British Airways Boeing 747 on its landing approach come within about 112 feet of an Airbus A321 which was waiting to take off.

A 28-year-old woman air traffic control trainee was controlling take-offs on the runway at the time, under the supervision of a mentor, according to a report by the British Air Accidents Investigation Branch.