Air China flight nearly crashes after unauthorized altitude change over Russia

On July 6, 2025, two Chinese aircraft were involved in a near collision over Russian airspace due to a serious violation of aviation protocols. Air China Flight CA967, operating from Shanghai to Milan, made an unauthorized altitude climb from 34,100 feet to 36,000 feet without instructions from Russian air traffic control. This increase in altitude placed it dangerously close—within 300 to 400 feet—of a Boeing 767 cargo plane, SF Airlines Flight CSS128, which was traveling from Budapest to Ezhou, China. This incident unfolded above the Tuva region, a remote mountainous area in southern Siberia bordering Mongolia. The convergence between these two aircraft raised significant concerns regarding international aviation safety standards, as a minimum vertical separation of 1,000 feet is mandated to avoid collisions at cruising altitude. The situation intensified as both aircraft's Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) activated alarms, leading to emergency evasive maneuvers by both pilots. Audio evidence circulating on social media suggests miscommunication from the Russian air traffic controller, who was managing multiple aircraft at that time and may have issued unclear instructions. In a recorded exchange, the controller openly asked the Air China pilot whether the aircraft was climbing with or without instructions, and the pilot confirmed it was without. The exact reasons prompting the unauthorized ascent by the Air China crew remain ambiguous, with speculation surrounding a potential miscommunication that could have been directed toward another aircraft. No public comments have been released from Air China, SF Airlines, or China’s civil aviation authority regarding this incident, leaving many questions unanswered. The authenticity of the leaked audio recordings cannot be independently verified, which adds uncertainty to the series of events that transpired within the cockpit and the air traffic control tower. Given the critical nature of this incident, it has drawn heightened scrutiny about the importance of clear communication protocols in dynamic air traffic control environments, particularly as they pertain to international flights that cross into other nations' airspace. It also underscores the need for stringent adherence to aviation safety regulations to prevent similar occurrences in the future. As this alarming near miss has become a subject of public interest, it provokes concerns about air traffic safety protocols and the pressures faced by air traffic controllers, particularly when managing multiple flights at once. The fact that the pilot's full response to the controller was inaudible due to overlapping radio transmissions further complicates the narrative. It highlights how crucial it is to maintain clear and effective communication in aviation settings, where the lives of countless passengers can hinge on directives issued over the radio. The incident may prompt further investigations by aviation safety boards and could result in recommendations for revising air traffic control procedures to enhance safety and communication.