Flights to East Midlands Airport were diverted and a fugitive was shut down Friday night after drones were seen nearby.
Eight services were diverted on Friday evening, following an interruption earlier that day as passenger flights were diverted to other airports. The drones had previously been seen on Friday afternoon near Donington Park in Leicestershire, one mile (1.6 km) from the airport, where the three-day unloading festival takes place.
The airport confirmed on Friday afternoon that the “operational disruption” had been going on for the past 48 hours, Leicester Mercury reported. The disruption on Friday afternoon began at around 2pm and caused the airport to close for 30 minutes, affecting “a small number of flights”, according to an airport statement.
An East Midlands airport spokesman confirmed that the runway, which was closed for about two hours from 10pm on Friday night, is now open.
Music festival organizers, Leicestershire Police and the airport said they were monitoring the situation in a joint statement. “Recent reports of drone sightings near Donington Park have disrupted East Midlands Airport in recent days. This has affected both the night cargo operation and the diversion of passengers to other airports. .
“The safe operation of the EMA aerodrome and the safety of the public at the event are our top priority. Together, Leicestershire Police, the download festival organizers and the airport continue to work closely to control As a result, both the festival organizers and the police have increased the number of patrols in and around the site. “
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The statement issued a reminder that flying a drone near an operating airport was a crime under the Civil Aviation Act of 1982 and posed a serious risk to public safety. Police will take appropriate action if necessary, he added.
In December 2018, drone sightings caused chaos at Gatwick Airport, which shut it down for 30 hours, disrupting 1,000 flights and more than 140,000 passengers.
The incident was the first time a major airport had been closed by drones and triggered a police operation that lasted 18 months, cost £ 800,000 and involved five separate forces.