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BEA Opens Serious-Incident Probe After Near Miss Involving Nouvelair and EasyJet at Nice

Investigators are analyzing flight data and tower recordings to assess a suspected wrong‑runway alignment in thick fog.

Overview

  • An inbound Nouvelair A320 on final approach passed over an EasyJet A320 lined up to depart at Nice around 23:30 on September 21 before executing a go‑around.
  • The BEA classified the event as a serious incident, deployed investigators to Nice and moved to secure flight recorders along with radar, audio and airport video data.
  • Initial accounts from the airport and aviation experts point to a likely alignment error by the Nouvelair crew, with visibility severely reduced by fog and closely spaced runways a potential factor.
  • The EasyJet commander, reported to be in shock, canceled the departure; passengers were deplaned and rebooked, and the aircraft involved were held on the ground.
  • Officials say the exact separation remains to be determined, EasyJet has pledged to cooperate with the inquiry and Nouvelair had not responded to media requests at the time of reporting.