Gatwick Airport drone culprits still on the loose

LONDON: London’s Gatwick Airport operated without problems over the weekend, but the fugitive drone operators who brought flights to a standstill over multiple days remain at large.

Sussex Police were hopeful they had halted the disruptive and costly drone incursions during one of the heaviest travel periods of the year with the arrest of a couple who live near the airport.

But they were cleared and released.

Tens of thousands of passengers suffered through long flight delays or were stranded by cancellations after two drones were reported seen above the airfield at Gatwick on Wednesday night, prompting an immediate suspension of all air traffic.

Sussex Chief Detective Jason Tingley said on Sunday he could not rule out new drone activity at Gatwick or other UK airports.

At the same time, he said police were making progress in a threepronged investigation: tracking “persons of interest”, investigating 67 reported drone sightings, and examining a damaged drone found near Gatwick.

The drone in police hands may provide useful forensic clues, such as the DNA of people who handled it. But the rain the London area might have washed away some evidence, he said.

Airport authorities consider drones a menace because they could damage planes in flight causing a deadly crash

After the shutdown extended into Thursday, increased military protection was brought in. — AP