Media reports in India say two aircraft came within just seconds of a mid-air crash.
The near miss took place on Sunday above Varanasi involving two Airbus A320s jets, which were just 15 seconds from a collision.
An AirAsia India jet and a plane operated by IndiGo were flying in opposite directions
According to aviation sources the AirAsia pilot was instructed to descend to 34,000 feet and then maintain that altitude.
However, the plane continued to descend further putting it on a collision course just nine kilometres from the IndiGo jet.
The source said based on the cruising speed that was just 15 seconds from impact.
That is when onboard airborne collision avoidance systems kicked in to save the day, guiding the planes away from each other at the very last minute.
"AirAsia India ‘is currently investigating the matter with relevant regulatory authorities. We will refrain from disclosing further information until we have established the facts,"’ the airline said, as reported by Times of India.
Members of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board are investigating and the AirAsia India pilot has reportedly been grounded.
