Near mid-air incident involving Uzbekistan and Russian aircraft reported

A serious aviation incident involving passenger aircraft operated by Uzbekistan and Russian airlines occurred in Kazakhstan’s airspace. The Kazinform news agency reported this, citing a statement from the Department for the Investigation of Transport Incidents and Emergencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

According to the report, the incident took place on the morning of January 10 within the area of responsibility of the Shymkent regional air traffic control center. A special investigation into the incident has been launched.

The department stated that the incident occurred while air traffic services were being provided in the A2I sector of the Shymkent regional control center to Uzbekistan Airways flight UZB9609 operating on the Termez–Moscow route and Pobeda Airlines flight PBD997 operating on the Vnukovo–Samarkand route.

According to the department’s classification, the incident qualifies as a serious aviation emergency and is therefore subject to a mandatory investigation by the authorized body. A special commission will be established under the Ministry of Transport to conduct the investigation.

“The duration of the investigation, from the date the order establishing the commission is issued until the final report is approved, usually does not exceed three months, provided that no additional studies or work are required,” the department’s press service said.

It is worth noting that on January 9 this year, dozens of flights in Uzbekistan were diverted to alternate airports due to adverse weather conditions, including heavy fog.