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Military help UK police respond to Heathrow drone threat
LONDON, Jan 9, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Britain’s armed forces were supporting
police Wednesday at London’s Heathrow Airport after a drone sighting led to
the suspension of all departing flights for nearly an hour on Tuesday.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said the military had been sent to
Europe’s busiest airport at the request of police.
It follows a similar deployment at Gatwick Airport just three weeks ago
after multiple drone sightings there caused three days of travel chaos.
“Last night, at the request of Metropolitan Police, our armed forces
deployed to assist and support them,” he said in a statement Wednesday. “Our
armed forces are always there when needed, ready to support the civilian
authorities with our capabilities.”
Heathrow, which handles nearly 214,000 passengers daily, closed its
northern runway after witnesses, including police officers, spotted a drone
above the west London airport. Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy
said “a full criminal investigation” had been launched.
“We are carrying out extensive searches around the Heathrow area to
identify any people who may be responsible for the operation of the drone,”
he added.
The disruption caused by Tuesday’s incident appeared minimal, with
Heathrow saying it was “operating normally” on Wednesday.
– Mayhem at Gatwick –
But it prompted fresh concerns in over British airports’ vulnerability to
drones, coming so soon after the devices caused mayhem at Gatwick, Britain’s
second biggest hub, before Christmas.
Multiple sightings at the airfield south of the British capital between
December 19 and 21 prompted the closure of its only runway, impacting tens of
thousands of passengers booked on cancelled flights.
Cundy said officials had learned lessons from the incident which were
helping to shape their current response at Heathrow.
“We are deploying significant resources — both in terms of officers and
equipment — to monitor the airspace around Heathrow and to quickly detect
and disrupt any illegal drone activity,” he said.
“Military assistance has been implemented to support us. However, we will
not be discussing in any further detail the range of tactics available to us
as this would only serve to potentially undermine their effectiveness,” he
said.
The British government on Monday outlined plans in parliament for drone
exclusion zones around airports to be extended from one kilometre (half a
mile) to five kilometres, and for mandatory registration of operators.
Police will also be allowed to fine users up to o100 (112 euros, $128) for
failing to comply when instructed to land a drone, or not showing
registration to operate a device.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1647 hrs