This is the breathtaking moment two planes are crossing their paths as they approach an airport in Saudi Arabia.
Footage filmed from another aircraft from behind shows how the large passenger airliners are flying shoulder to shoulder above the country’s Tuwaiq Mountains.
Then the planes – reportedly a Boeing and an Airbus – suddenly change their position as their landing approach towards Riyadh‘s King Khalid International Airport continues.
The clip documents how the aircraft on the right-hand side slowly drifts to the left below the other plane in a distance which appears to be just a few dozen metres.
Local media claimed that the gap between the aeroplanes was just 60 metres (197 feet).
While some netizens raised safety concerns, Saudi Arabian news platforms quote aviation expert Abdullah Al-Ghamdi as saying: “These manoeuvres are only done after obtaining permission from the legislative authority.”
And Al-Ghamdi dismissed claims that the passenger carriers had been separated by a two-digit metre figure.
He emphasised: “The difference between the planes certainly exceeded 500 feet (152 metres) for the sake of safety and avoiding air whirlwinds.”
The aviation expert and pilot added: “Before applying this manoeuvre, they surely studied the nature of the region, its obstacles and any potential emergency situations.”
The Boeing aircraft in the video is a B777-300 operated by Captain Mamdouh Bukhari for Saudi Arabian flag carrier Saudi Airlines, say local media.
The other plane featured in the astonishing clip is reportedly an Airbus A320neo piloted by Captain Fahd Al-Yahya for Saudi low-cost carrier Flynas Airlines.
There are no reports of any aviation safety guideline violations.
It is unclear when the manoeuvre – which was covered by Saudi Arabian media on 23th July – took place.
King Khalid International Airport – which reportedly serves more than 26 million passengers per year – is located around 35 kilometres (22 miles) north of Riyadh, the federal capital of Saudi Arabia.
It is one of the largest aviation hubs in the world.
