Iberia A321XLR & Air Europa 787 Take Evasive Action In Head-On Atlantic Near-Miss

An Iberia Airbus A321XLR and an Air Europa Boeing 787-9 narrowly avoided a potential midair collision over the Atlantic after their TCAS issued coordinated resolution advisories. The incident occurred on July 10 when both aircraft were cruising at 36,000 feet on the same oceanic airway near the West Saharan coast, traveling in opposite directions. Both were cleared to maintain the same flight level, creating a potentially catastrophic conflict as they converged at about 01:22 UTC along airway N857 between the ETIBA and BIPET reporting points. Using their Traffic Collision Avoidance System, the crews executed opposing vertical maneuvers—one descending and the other climbing—to restore safe separation. After the alert resolution, both resumed normal profiles and landed safely at their destinations. No injuries or aircraft damage were reported, and authorities are expected to examine the circumstances behind the conflicting clearances.