This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-46623754
The article has changed 29 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Next version
Version 16 | Version 17 |
---|---|
Gatwick Airport: Drone attack grounds flights | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A drone attack at one of the UK's busiest airports has left tens of thousands of passengers facing major disruption. | |
Gatwick's runway has been shut since Wednesday night, when two devices were seen flying over the perimeter fence. | |
The airport said 110,000 passengers on 760 flights were due to fly on Thursday. | |
Police were still hunting for the drone operator after another device was reported just before 07:00 GMT. | Police were still hunting for the drone operator after another device was reported just before 07:00 GMT. |
Those due to travel have been told to check the status of their flight, while Easyjet told its passengers not to go to Gatwick if their flights have been cancelled. | Those due to travel have been told to check the status of their flight, while Easyjet told its passengers not to go to Gatwick if their flights have been cancelled. |
Sussex Police said it was not terror-related but a "deliberate act" of disruption. | |
What happened? | |
The shutdown started just after 21:00 on Wednesday, when two drones were spotted flying "over the perimeter fence and into where the runway operates from". | |
The runway briefly reopened at 03:01 but was closed again about 45 minutes later amid "a further sighting of drones". | |
Gatwick Airport: Live updates | |
Gatwick chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe said: "The police are looking for the operator and that is the way to disable the drone." | |
He said police had not wanted to shoot the devices down because of the risk from stray bullets. | |
How have passengers been affected? | |
About 10,000 passengers were affected overnight on Wednesday and Gatwick said 110,000 people were due to either take off or land at the airport on Thursday. | |
Incoming planes were diverted to other airports including London Heathrow, Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Glasgow, Paris and Amsterdam. | |
Crowds of travellers have spent the morning waiting inside Gatwick's terminal for updates, while others reported being stuck on grounded planes for hours. | |
A Gatwick spokeswoman said extra staff had been brought in and the airport was "trying their best" to provide food and water to those who needed it. | |
Kasia Jaworska told the BBC she was travelling from Glasgow to Gatwick with her boyfriend when her flight was diverted to Luton. | |
She said she thought it was "strange" that two drones had led to the closure of the airport. | |
"You would imagine there would be better security in place and emergency action for something like that," she said. | |
Christopher Lister, who had been returning from Kiev, posted a picture of people sleeping "on every seat and across the floors" on board his flight. | Christopher Lister, who had been returning from Kiev, posted a picture of people sleeping "on every seat and across the floors" on board his flight. |
He said the photo was taken six hours after the plane - which was due to arrive at Gatwick - landed in Birmingham. | He said the photo was taken six hours after the plane - which was due to arrive at Gatwick - landed in Birmingham. |
Luke McComiskie, whose flight ended up in Manchester, described chaotic scenes as people tried to find their way home after more than three hours stuck onboard. | |
The 20-year-old, from Aldershot, said: "We got told there would be some arrangements with coaches for us when we get out the terminal. | |
"It was just chaos and they had only two coaches and taxis charging people £600 to get to Gatwick." | |
Airports and drones: The law | |
It is illegal to fly a drone within 1km of an airport or airfield boundary and flying above 400ft (120m) - which increases the risk of a collision with a manned aircraft - is also banned. | |
Endangering the safety of an aircraft is a criminal offence which can carry a prison sentence of five years. | |
The number of aircraft incidents involving drones has grown dramatically in the past few years. In 2013 there were zero incidents, compared to almost 100 last year. | |
Civilian drones have grown popular as their price has fallen. Technological improvement has meant components are smaller, faster and cheaper than ever before. | |
The UK Airprox Board assesses incidents involving drones and keeps a log of all reports. | |
In one incident last year, for example, a pilot flying over Manchester saw a red "football-sized" drone passing down the left hand side of the aircraft. | |
In another, a plane leaving Glasgow narrowly missed a drone. The pilot, in that case, said the crew only had three seconds of warning and there was "no time to take avoiding action". | |
Have you been affected by the suspension of flights at Gatwick Airport? Let us know by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |