MOSCOW, Apr. 13, 2008 -- A Delta Air Lines Inc aircraft and a plane on a domestic Russian flight were involved in a near miss on Sunday over Moscow's Sheremetevo airport, aviation officials said.

The Delta flight, a Boeing 767-400, arriving from Atlanta was descending when a Boeing 737-500 aircraft operated by Don-Avia en route to Rostov-on-Don took off and came dangerously close, the Moscow aviation authorities said in a statement.

The statement blamed the crew of the Don-Avia aircraft for failing to keep to height limits after take-off, creating a situation where the two aircraft approached each other at a combined speed of 1,100 kilometers an hour (683 miles an hour).

'The airplane violated the order and continued intensively to rise and rapidly close in on the approaching plane,' the statement said.

'Air traffic control immediately ordered the crew of the Boeing 737-500 to reduce height. The crew swiftly followed the instruction. Thanks to the active and highly professional steps of the air traffic controller... it was possible to avoid further development of a dangerous situation.'

The Delta flight was carrying 219 passengers and 12 crew. The Don-Avia flight had 51 passengers and six crew.