Gonzaga Basketball Team Dodges Disaster as Delta Jet Speeds Toward Them [WATCH]

A close call occurred at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Friday, December 29, when a Delta flight nearly collided with a private jet carrying the Gonzaga University men’s basketball team.

The incident unfolded on the runway around 4:30 p.m. when air traffic controllers intervened just in time to prevent a disaster.

The dramatic moment was captured on video, which was later shared online.

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In the footage, an air traffic controller can be heard urgently shouting, “Stop, stop, stop!” to the pilots of Key Lime Air Flight 563, a chartered Embraer ERJ-135 jet carrying the Gonzaga team.

The jet had been preparing to cross the runway at LAX when Delta Flight 471, an Airbus A321, was seen speeding down the same runway for takeoff.

The Key Lime Air flight came to a sudden halt, just as the Delta flight was barreling down the runway.

Moments later, the Delta flight lifted off into the sky, narrowly avoiding a collision.

The plane spotter filming the incident could be heard exclaiming, “Woo! Woo! Wow,” as the near-miss unfolded.

NEW: The FAA has launched an investigation after the men’s Gonzaga basketball team nearly got eliminated by a Delta plane taking off.

“Stop! Stop! Stop!” the air traffic controller could be heard saying.

The chartered Embraer E135 jet, carrying the team, had just landed at… pic.twitter.com/6UAUOG5wiP

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 30, 2024

The spotter, who uploaded the video to Airline Videos on YouTube, also remarked that in their years of filming at airports, they had never heard an air traffic controller command a plane to “Stop, stop, stop!”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has since launched an investigation into the event. An FAA spokesperson explained that air traffic controllers had instructed the pilots of Key Lime Air Flight 563 to stop before crossing the runway due to the approaching Delta flight. “When the Embraer E135 jet proceeded to cross the hold bars, air traffic controllers told the pilots to stop. The jet never crossed the runway edge line,” the spokesperson confirmed.

Gonzaga’s plane had just arrived at LAX from Washington in preparation for the team’s game against UCLA.

The university later issued a statement to the LA Times, expressing relief that the incident ended safely. “We expect to receive more information related to this event, and are grateful that the incident ended safely for all,” a university representative said.

Delta Air Lines confirmed that their flight, which was headed to Atlanta, was not impacted by the near-miss and proceeded without incident.

This close call comes amid a busy holiday travel season, with an estimated 3.2 million passengers expected to pass through LAX between December 19 and the New Year.

The incident also occurred during a particularly tragic week for global air travel, with two deadly crashes reported.

On Sunday, December 24, a Jeju Air flight in South Korea crashed into a concrete barrier at the end of a runway, killing 179 passengers.

BREAKING: New video shows moment Boeing 737-800 plane carrying 181 people onboard crashes at Muan International Airport in South Korea.
pic.twitter.com/konxWBpnWy

— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) December 29, 2024

Then, on Wednesday, December 25, 38 people were killed when an Azerbaijani passenger plane crashed in Kazakhstan, with authorities suspecting that the crash may have been caused by Russian missiles.

New video from Azerbaijani Airlines plane crash site by Azerbaijani source Caliber.

This doesn’t seem like birds. pic.twitter.com/4aGs0CA09d

— Clash Report (@clashreport) December 25, 2024

The two crashes, along with this near-miss, have made 2024 the deadliest year for air travel since 2018, with a total of 318 fatalities, according to Bloomberg.

As authorities continue to investigate the near-miss at LAX, the event serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved in air travel and the importance of vigilance in the skies.

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