Flights suspended twice at Gatwick due to '˜drone observation'

Flights at Gatwick Airport were temporarily suspended twice on Sunday evening after reports of a drone in the vicinity.
Photo by Jeffrey MilsteinPhoto by Jeffrey Milstein
Photo by Jeffrey Milstein

A spokesman for Gatwick Airport said: “Due to reports of a drone observation in the vicinity of the airfield, runway operations at Gatwick were suspended between 6.10pm and 6.19pm and again from 6.36pm to 6.41pm, resulting in a small number of go-arounds and diverts.

“Operations have resumed and the police continue to investigate.”

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Patricia Slatter, who was on a British Airways flight from Valencia, had to be diverted to Bournemouth.

She said: “We were about to touch down when the landing was aborted and we took off again – climbing very quickly. “There’s an EasyJet flight here (Bournemouth) too.

“The drone was spotted at 1,00 feet by the flight ahead of us.

“We’ve been told we could be here for some time.

“BA (British Airways) staff are being very good.”