MONTREAL, October 15 -

Canada's Transportation Safety Board flagged on Wednesday

fresh concerns over near-misses between aircraft after cases of

runway incursions in the country hit a record high last year,

despite no recent cases of actual collisions.

The transport safety agency called in its annual watch list

for improved use of technology and infrastructure, after data

from air traffic service provider NAV Canada showed runway

incursions jumped to 639 last year from 566 in 2023, the largest

number on record in the 15 years for which data are available.

A runway incursion is when an aircraft or vehicle is

incorrectly present on a runway designated for the landing or

take off of aircraft.

Over the last few years, a series of near-miss incidents has

raised broader concerns over aviation safety in multiple

countries, including the U.S., where there are also worries

about the strain on understaffed air traffic control

operations.

In February, a Southwest Airlines ( LUV ) flight was less

than 200 feet behind a business jet when the commercial airline

pilot aborted the landing and made an emergency maneuver to

narrowly avoid a collision at Chicago Midway Airport.

Such recent high-profile runway incidents are building

pressure on aviation authorities to make cockpit alert systems

designed to prevent incursions mandatory.