A Ryanair flight bound for Cork narrowly avoided a collision with another aircraft during take-off at Seville Airport, according to an official investigation into the June 19, 2024, incident.
The report, published by Spain’s air accident investigation authority, CIAIAC, details how a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 carrying 179 passengers and crew passed just 50 feet above an ATR72 that had mistakenly taxied onto the active runway in heavy rain and deteriorating visibility.
The ATR, operated by RAM Express, was preparing to depart for Casablanca with 48 people on board. No injuries or damage were reported to either aircraft.
Critical Seconds
The near-miss occurred shortly after midday local time as the Ryanair jet accelerated for departure. By the time air traffic control instructed the ATR to hold position, the Boeing 737 had already exceeded the point at which a take-off could safely be aborted.
According to the investigation, the ATR had been taxiing in the wrong area for 1 minute and 2 seconds before controllers detected the runway incursion. The separation between the two aircraft at the closest point was approximately 50 feet — a margin investigators classified as extremely narrow given the speed involved. The Ryanair aircraft was travelling at 174 knots (322 km/h) at the time.
Weather and Visibility Factors
The incident unfolded amid heavy rain and reduced visibility, conditions that likely contributed to the taxiing error and delayed detection. Investigators highlighted the sequence of events as a serious runway incursion with significant collision risk, even though the outcome ultimately avoided physical consequences.
The captain of the Ryanair flight, 35, had reportedly operated the Cork–Seville route for six years without prior incident.
Safety Review
While the report did not cite injuries or structural damage, the event underscores ongoing concerns around runway incursions — one of the most serious operational risks in commercial aviation. Such incidents typically prompt reviews of low-visibility procedures, air traffic control coordination, and airport ground surveillance systems.
Nearly two years after the incident, the findings serve as a reminder of how quickly routine operations can escalate into high-risk situations when visibility deteriorates and margins for error shrink.