(Seychelles News Agency) - Air Seychelles has commended one of its pilots and a co-pilot for action described as heroic after the two prevented what could have been a major air disaster in the Indian Ocean.

According to the ETN Global Travel Industry News, in the afternoon of Friday, July 14, an Air Seychelles aircraft taking off from the Mauritian airport Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and an Emirates Airbus about to land almost collided.

The article said that Air Seychelles flight HM054 was leaving Mauritius for Seychelles and was given clearance by Mauritius Air Traffic Control to climb to 37,000 feet. At the same time, Emirates flight EK703 was given clearance to descend to 38,000 feet but did not read the correct flight level instruction and descended to 36,000 feet.

The ETN headlines wrote, “Air Seychelles pilot a hero, Emirates Airlines A380 pilot in trouble, passengers extremely lucky!”

Air Seychelles said in a statement Monday: “We commend our Captain Roberto Vallicelli and Seychellois First Officer Ronny Morel who were operating the HM054 flight from Mauritius to Seychelles on the evening of Friday 14 July 2017.”  

“Their training standard and operating protocols immediately kicked in which demonstrates the extremely high standards of training which our Air Seychelles pilots attain.  We highly commend them for what they have done,” Air Seychelles added.

The ETN said that a report was filed and the outcome is pending.

The national carrier of Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, flies five times weekly to and from Mauritius, a neighbouring island. The flights are on Tuesdays to Sundays departing Seychelles at 09.45 a.m. and returning from Mauritius at 16.30 p.m.