Two injured as United Airlines flight manoeuvres to avert midair collision

Two passengers on United Airlines flight 2428 were taken to hospital.

Authorities have launched an investigation after two passengers were injured when a United Airlines flight bound for San Francisco manoeuvred to avoid a midair collision.

The incident occurred around 12.45pm local time on Thursday, September 19. United Airlines flight 2428 was descending toward San Francisco International Airport when it slowed to avoid an aircraft that was flying at a lower altitude, the airline said in an emailed statement.

The seat-belt sign was on, but two passengers - one of whom, according to the airline, was out of their seat at the time - reported possible injuries and were taken to a hospital. No further details were provided on the incident, the other aircraft involved or the extent of the passengers’ injuries.

According to the US Federal Aviation Administration, the San Francisco-bound aircraft responded to an onboard alert in Oakland, California airspace that another plane was “in the vicinity”.

“There was no loss of safe separation” between the two planes, the FAA, which is investigating the incident, said in an emailed statement.

The plane landed safely in San Francisco.

“We’re grateful to our crew for their efforts to ensure the safety of our employees and customers,” United Airlines said.

An average of 45,000 flights traverse American airspace every day, according to the FAA, carrying about 2.9 million people.

The Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center has a dual responsibility to manage both regular domestic traffic and oceanic flights, handling the largest volume of international airspace in the world at one facility.