Near-miss between EasyJet and Nouvelair prompts emergency probe at Nice airport
French investigators say the incident on parallel runways during heavy rain was one of Europe’s closest for passenger jets in years; BEA opened a serious-incident inquiry and both aircraft were grounded.
A near-miss at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport on Sunday night involved an EasyJet Airbus and a Nouvelair jet, with both aircraft coming within about 3 metres (10 feet) of colliding on parallel runways. The EasyJet flight 4706 from Nice to Nantes had prepared to take off when the Tunisian Nouvelair aircraft attempted to land on the same runway, in heavy rain, according to passengers and later confirmed by investigators. The close call prompted the French air accident investigation branch, BEA, to open a serious-incident probe and to ground both airplanes while data from flight decks and radar histories were reviewed.
The French authorities identified a misidentification of the runway by the Nouvelair crew as a possible factor. The Times reported that the Nouvelair pilot appeared to attempt a landing on the wrong runway, prompting the near-miss in the late hours of Sunday. An EasyJet passenger described the moment as the two jets passing at such proximity that the captain later told passengers the planes were three metres apart. French transport minister Philippe Tabarot called the event narrowly avoided and ordered an immediate BEA investigation. Officials cautioned against premature conclusions as the probe proceeds and noted that data will be reviewed from both flight decks and air-traffic control records.
Both flights carried roughly 300 passengers apiece at the time. The EasyJet crew halted the takeoff sequence and ultimately did not proceed with the flight, leaving travelers temporarily stranded on the tarmac. A passenger identified as Érard, 29, told Le Figaro that the captain appeared visibly shaken after the incident and informed passengers that a crash had been avoided by about three metres and that the fault lay with the other aircraft. Airport management and regulators have urged restraint in assigning blame while the investigation continues. EasyJet and Nouvelair have been contacted for comment as investigators compile their account of what happened.
The BEA described the incident as one of the closest near-misses between passenger jets in Europe in recent years and emphasized that no conclusions should be drawn before the data are fully analyzed. Officials noted that the two aircraft were operating on parallel runways at Nice, a configuration that has at times raised questions about runway spacing and traffic sequencing under adverse weather. The incident underscores ongoing safety concerns in crowded European hubs during poor weather, though authorities stressed that a single event does not indicate a systemic problem. Both airlines said they would cooperate with the inquiry as BEA staff examine cockpit voice recordings, radar histories, and other telemetry.