Gatwick turns to army as drones ruin holiday getaway

London’s Gatwick airport turned to the military after police were unable to stop incursions by illegal drones that have closed the hub for close to 20 hours, disrupting journeys for as many as 115,000 people on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

Thousands of passengers hunkered down on departure-hall floors Thursday in anticipation of flights resuming, but sporadic sightings of the mystery craft led the airport to extend the shutdown throughout the day. Police said the intrusions were clearly deliberate, though most likely not terror related.

With night falling and authorities apparently no closer to finding the perpetrators, U.K. Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson announced that military assistance would be provided to help end the disruption, the worst at a London airport since blizzards closed the city’s main Heathrow hub in 2013. The Ministry of Defence said that forces would deploy specialist equipment.

“Obviously once it gets dark you cannot physically see a drone, which will make it more difficult, but the police are out in force trying to spot it,” Gatwick spokeswoman Mandy Armstrong said by phone.

Reports of two objects above the airfield caused flights to be halted at about 9 p.m. on Wednesday, with more than 50 incoming planes diverted to other hubs across Britain and some in mainland Europe. The airport reopened after six hours, only to shut again 45 minutes later amid further sightings.

Services remained grounded through the peak morning departure period and into the afternoon, with a daylight search aided by helicopters failing to locate the devices or their operators. Gatwick is the world’s busiest single-runway hub, the biggest base for discount carrier EasyJet and the focus for long-haul leisure flights at British Airways.