This was very close: Tragedy narrowly averted at Chicago airport

(Patria) - A Southwest Airlines plane and a private jet nearly collided yesterday morning at Chicago Midway Airport, but the commercial flight crew avoided an accident with a last-second maneuver.

Footage from Chicago Midway shows a Southwest Airlines plane attempting to land, but then suddenly taking off because a private jet that had just landed entered the runway where the passenger plane was supposed to land.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident, and according to initial information, air traffic controllers reacted quickly and prevented a possible collision, reports Newsweek.

This event further heightens concerns about the safety of U.S. airspace, especially in light of recent layoffs in regulatory bodies and frequent air incidents that have marked the beginning of this year.

The most tragic among them occurred on January 29, when there was a catastrophic mid-air collision over the Potomac River near Washington.

The incident involved an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft and a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. 67 people were killed, making this incident the deadliest air accident in the U.S. in nearly 24 years.