The use of DEI hiring practices amid a seemingly growing amount of ‘close calls’ in the airline industry has some folks crying foul.

A harrowing video showing two passenger jets getting too close for comfort has critics wondering if Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion played a part in the near miss.

Footage from a Syracuse, New York, police dashcam captured the moment and began circulating on social media Thursday morning, purportedly showing a Delta flight take off just beneath an American Airline jet flying directly above.

#BREAKING: The FAA is investigating after two major airliners nearly collided in mid-air ⁰⁰#Syracuse | #Newyork
⁰The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an incident where two planes from American Airlines and Delta nearly collided mid-air over Syracuse, New… pic.twitter.com/D3ivWZVmGD

— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) July 10, 2024

“Air traffic control cleared American Airlines cleared Flight 5511 from Washington/Reagan with 79 people on board to land at the Syracuse airport,” CBS Morning reported.

But then the controllers appeared to clear a Delta flight with 88 people on board from the same runway, CBS continued.

Cockpit audio caught the American Airlines pilot questioning the Delta takeoff. “Wait, who’s cleared to take off on 2 8?”  the pilot said.

Then an order was issued for the AA flight to “take to the sky. Go around.” A move that likely saved many lives as the planes came 650 vertical feet apart at their closest point before the Delta flight veered away.

A CBS simulation shared by Raw Alerts on X shows more clearly what happened and can be viewed below:

#UPDATE: Here is footage explaining what happened when two airliners appeared to be on a collision course when Air traffic controler cleared an American Airlines flight with 79 people on board to land at Syracuse airport, then seemed to clear a Delta flight to take off from the… pic.twitter.com/qKI59iinJ4

— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) July 10, 2024

The frightening footage had many on X wondering if DEI or overworked air traffic controllers were the issue. Or was it both?

I believe there was a movie about this exact scenario in New York. This is what happens when requirements are lowered in the FAA. It is on the FAA because they run the sky.

— Sherry (@SJurach) July 10, 2024

You can’t have DEI hires in aircraft control. At 500 miles/hr 750 feet apart is insane!! A fraction of a second difference and we’d have 100s of dead people.

— SaltyGoat (@SaltyGoat17) July 10, 2024

I know one air traffic controller. He is overworked. They all are. Add to that the DEI hiring and we have a disaster in the making.

— SazzygirlinCali (@RjbRocklin) July 10, 2024

DEI is putting lives at risk

— Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForSOS) July 10, 2024

DEI and Mayor Pete strike again

— WildBillNC (@WildBillNC1978) July 10, 2024

This is why pic.twitter.com/6wM4NQ7DJR

— Liberacrat Media™️ (@Liberacrat) July 10, 2024

The incident is currently under investigation.

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