Drone sightings ground planes at Gatwick airport

LONDON: One of Britain’s busiest airports was forced to suspend all flights after reports of drones flying over the airfield, causing disruption for at least 10,000 people just days before Christmas, it said yesterday.

Flights into Gatwick Airport, near London, were diverted to other cities while passengers waiting to take off faced long delays before having to stay in hotels overnight.

Two drones were first spotted flying over the airport at around 9pm (2100 GMT).

The airfield briefly reopened at 3am yesterday, but had to be closed again following further sightings, the latest at 7am (0700 GMT).

“Flights to and from Gatwick Airport remain suspended following reports of drones flying over Gatwick’s airfield last night and in the early hours of this morning,” a statement issued at 7.30am said.

Chris Woodroofe, Gatwick’s chief operating officer, told BBC radio that 20 police units from two local forces were looking for the drone operator.

“That is the way to disable the drone,” he said.

“We also have the helicopter up in the air but the police advise us that it would be dangerous to seek to shoot the drone down because of what may happen to the stray bullets.”

He said it was an ‘irresponsible’ act that caused ‘very significant disruption for passengers’, with 6,000 people forced to divert to other airports late Wednesday.