Originally Posted by
ATC Watcher
How do you know? you have seen the traffic picture the controller had ? Possibly other known traffic in vicinity, or above ? remember what a controller sees is what the radar returns gives him , delayed info..
Capt Hindsight is always right...but better be left alone after an accident.
I also feel very sorry for the controller. I hope they do have CISM in place in his unit, because if he/she feels responsible for the collision he/she most probably will never actively control again.
If you look at my post you will find that I made the same caveats you made on hindsight and other traffic. However, from several years of threading fighter aircraft through slow civilian traffic; a head on at 2 miles is not a time for gentlemanly language. an "if not sighted climb immediately to" in an 'urgent' voice would have been more effective than a turn - and I did add that it depended on traffic above.