LogFAQs > #983872817

That was my understanding as well. Perhaps the ATC should have *not* granted visual sep the second time it was requested and instead provided a new heading, but the fact that the ATC radio'd back the second time should have been a clue to the pilot that they probably weren't being warned about a much further away plane.

These are only very preliminary understandings though. NTSB investigations can be very thorough and take ages so we probably won't get a final answer until long after this incident has moved on from most people's perception.