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 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36159117
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Drone unlikely to have hit BA plane near Heathrow, government says | Drone unlikely to have hit BA plane near Heathrow, government says |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A passenger plane thought to have been struck as it approached Heathrow airport was probably not hit by a drone after all, the government says. | A passenger plane thought to have been struck as it approached Heathrow airport was probably not hit by a drone after all, the government says. |
| Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin told MPs it was now thought what happened "was not a drone incident". | Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin told MPs it was now thought what happened "was not a drone incident". |
| Air accident investigators said they had not ruled out a drone but had no evidence to support the suggestion. | Air accident investigators said they had not ruled out a drone but had no evidence to support the suggestion. |
| An investigation was launched after the pilot of a BA flight from Geneva on 17 April said an object struck the plane. | An investigation was launched after the pilot of a BA flight from Geneva on 17 April said an object struck the plane. |
| At the time the Metropolitan Police said the plane was flying at about 1,700ft (580m) over the area of Richmond Park, in south west London, at the time of the incident. | At the time the Metropolitan Police said the plane was flying at about 1,700ft (580m) over the area of Richmond Park, in south west London, at the time of the incident. |
| But BBC Transport Correspondent Richard Westcott said air accident investigators had stopped their investigation because "there is nothing to look at". | But BBC Transport Correspondent Richard Westcott said air accident investigators had stopped their investigation because "there is nothing to look at". |
| Our correspondent said the item, which struck the front of the aircraft, could have been "floating debris". | Our correspondent said the item, which struck the front of the aircraft, could have been "floating debris". |
| "They just don't have any evidence to tell them one way or the other," he added. | "They just don't have any evidence to tell them one way or the other," he added. |
| The Airbus A320 was carrying 132 passengers and five crew as it approached the airport. It landed safely. | The Airbus A320 was carrying 132 passengers and five crew as it approached the airport. It landed safely. |
| The incident had been thought to be the first drone collision with an aircraft in the UK. | The incident had been thought to be the first drone collision with an aircraft in the UK. |
| Are drones dangerous or harmless fun? | Are drones dangerous or harmless fun? |
| London music video drone footage draws criticism | London music video drone footage draws criticism |
| The rules for flying domestic drones | The rules for flying domestic drones |
| Drone incidents at UK airports | Drone incidents at UK airports |
| Source: The UK Airprox Board | Source: The UK Airprox Board |
| The UK Air Proximity Board - which investigates near-miss incidents in UK airspace - says there had been a number of serious near-misses at UK airports involving drones. | The UK Air Proximity Board - which investigates near-miss incidents in UK airspace - says there had been a number of serious near-misses at UK airports involving drones. |
| The latest statistics from the board showed there was another drone near miss on 14 February with an Airbus A320 that was flying out of Heathrow at 12,500ft (3,810m). | |
| The crew reported missing the 6ft (1.8m) wide black drone, which had a flashing red light, by 20ft (six metres). | |
| The pilot assessed the risk of collision as "high". The drone operator could not be traced. | |
| The head of the International Air Transport Association, Tony Tyler, earlier this year warned that drones flown by the general public were "a real and growing threat" to civilian aircraft. | |
| Our correspondent said many pilots felt it was "a matter of time" before a drone hits a plane. | |
| "They simply don't know what will happen if it does," he added. | "They simply don't know what will happen if it does," he added. |