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Gatwick Airport: Drone sightings cause delays Gatwick Airport: Drone attack grounds flights
(35 minutes later)
Tens of thousands of passengers at one of the UK's busiest airports are experiencing flight disruption after drones were seen over the airfield. A drone attack at one of the UK's busiest airports has left tens of thousands of passengers facing major disruption.
Gatwick's runway remains closed after two of the devices were seen nearby. Gatwick's runway has been shut since Wednesday night, when two devices were seen flying over the perimeter fence.
Flights are unable to take off or land and Gatwick said 110,000 passengers on 760 flights were due to use the airport on Thursday. 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.
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "There is absolutely nothing to suggest that this is terrorism-related."
Gatwick chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe said police had not wanted to shoot the devices down because of the risk from stray bullets.
Gatwick Airport: Live updates
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.
European air traffic management group Eurocontrol said the runway would remain closed until 11:00 . Sussex Police said it was not terror-related but a "deliberate act" of disruption.
The shutdown started just after 21:00 on Wednesday when two drones were spotted being flown over the airfield. What happened?
The runway was briefly reopened at about 03:01, the airport said, but forced to close again about 45 minutes later amid "a further sighting of drones". 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".
About 10,000 passengers were affected overnight on Wednesday, with some flights landing in Paris and Amsterdam. The runway briefly reopened at 03:01 but was closed again about 45 minutes later amid "a further sighting of drones".
Mr Woodroofe told the BBC two drones had been seen flying "over the perimeter fence and into where the runway operates from", sparking "very significant disruption". Gatwick Airport: Live updates
He added: "The police are looking for the operator and that is the way to disable the drone." Gatwick chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe said: "The police are looking for the operator and that is the way to disable the drone."
It is illegal to fly a drone within 1km of an airport or airfield boundary. He said police had not wanted to shoot the devices down because of the risk from stray bullets.
Planes were diverted to other airports including London Heathrow, Luton and Manchester. How have passengers been affected?
Aviation website airlive.net said some services were re-routed as far away as Cardiff, Paris and Amsterdam. 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.
Crowds of passengers waited inside Gatwick's terminal for updates, while others reported being stuck on waiting planes for several hours. Incoming planes were diverted to other airports including London Heathrow, Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Glasgow, Paris and Amsterdam.
An airport spokesman said "Extra staff have been drafted in and food and water is being provided where possible." Crowds of travellers have spent the morning waiting inside Gatwick's terminal for updates, while others reported being stuck on grounded planes for hours.
Kasia Jaworska told the BBC she had been travelling from Glasgow to Gatwick with her boyfriend when her flight was diverted to Luton. 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.
After spending about two hours on the plane, she said the couple were put on a bus to Gatwick, from where they had been due to fly to Istanbul. Kasia Jaworska told the BBC she was travelling from Glasgow to Gatwick with her boyfriend when her flight was diverted to Luton.
Ms Jaworska said she thought it was "strange" that two drones had led to the closure of the airport. 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 added. "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.
Andri Kyprianou, from Cyprus, who had been visiting London, said: "There were pregnant women, one of them was sleeping on the floor. 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.
There were people with small babies in here overnight, we saw disabled people on chairs. There were young children sleeping on the floor." 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.
An airport said apologised for any inconvenience and said airlines were "working to provide affected passengers with hotel accommodation" or provide alternative travel options. "It was just chaos and they had only two coaches and taxis charging people £600 to get to Gatwick."
Drones and airports Airports and drones: The law
The law says: 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.
Source: dronesafe.uk Endangering the safety of an aircraft is a criminal offence which can carry a prison sentence of five years.
Virgin Atlantic said all its incoming lights were being diverted and there would be delays to outgoing flights. 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.
Tui said all its flights were being disrupted, saying it would be contacting all customers directly with further updates and posting information on its website. Civilian drones have grown popular as their price has fallen. Technological improvement has meant components are smaller, faster and cheaper than ever before.
According to its website, Gatwick Airport expects to welcome a "record-breaking" number of passengers over this year's Christmas period. The UK Airprox Board assesses incidents involving drones and keeps a log of all reports.
It predicts 2.9m people will pass through its gates during the festive getaway, with 73,000 of those due to depart this Sunday. 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.
Have you been affected by the suspension of flights at Gatwick Airport? Do you have questions about your consumer rights? Let us know by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. 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.
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