Sydney Airport Near-Miss: Two Planes Avoid Collision on Tarmac

Australian transport investigators have opened an inquiry into a near-collision between two commercial aircraft on the tarmac at Sydney airport on Sunday.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said it was investigating the incident, which involved a Jetstar A320 preparing for departure to the Gold Coast and a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 being towed by a ground vehicle.

According to the ATSB, the Jetstar flight crew spotted the Qatar Airways aircraft on a crossing taxiway and both planes were brought to a sudden halt. The regulator confirmed that a cabin crew member on the Jetstar flight sustained an injury, and the tow connection to the Qatar Airways plane's nose gear was damaged.

Jetstar, the budget subsidiary of Qantas, confirmed it is conducting its own internal review. A spokesperson said the aircraft was following air traffic control instructions when the pilots had to brake firmly due to another aircraft's proximity.

Qatar Airways has not yet issued a public response. The incident follows a day of widespread delays at the airport, which were attributed to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers that forced the implementation of departure spacing measures.