This article is from the source 'guardian' 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.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/22/gatwick-drone-arrests-two-people-held-over-disruption-of-airport
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Gatwick drone arrests: two people held over disruption of airport | Gatwick drone arrests: two people held over disruption of airport |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two people have been arrested in connection with the “criminal use of drones” which has caused widespread disruption to flights at Gatwick airport, police have said. | Two people have been arrested in connection with the “criminal use of drones” which has caused widespread disruption to flights at Gatwick airport, police have said. |
| In a statement released in the early hours of Saturday, Sussex police said the arrests were made just after 10pm on Friday night. | In a statement released in the early hours of Saturday, Sussex police said the arrests were made just after 10pm on Friday night. |
| Two arrested as Gatwick reopens following latest drone sighting | Two arrested as Gatwick reopens following latest drone sighting |
| The force has not disclosed the ages or genders of those arrested, nor the locations of where the arrests took place. | The force has not disclosed the ages or genders of those arrested, nor the locations of where the arrests took place. |
| The airport was plunged into chaos on Wednesday night when drones spotted hovering near the runways forced hundreds of flights to be cancelled, delaying and stranding thousands of passengers. | The airport was plunged into chaos on Wednesday night when drones spotted hovering near the runways forced hundreds of flights to be cancelled, delaying and stranding thousands of passengers. |
| Police and military experts were deployed to search for the operators of the drones, which reappeared near the airport every time the authorities tried to reopne the runways. | Police and military experts were deployed to search for the operators of the drones, which reappeared near the airport every time the authorities tried to reopne the runways. |
| Airlines scrambled to board passengers while the airport was reopened on Friday. But it was closed again on Friday afternoon when the drones reappeared. Military measures reassured operators that it was safe to reopen the runway shortly afterwards. | Airlines scrambled to board passengers while the airport was reopened on Friday. But it was closed again on Friday afternoon when the drones reappeared. Military measures reassured operators that it was safe to reopen the runway shortly afterwards. |
| Inbound flights were also operating with delays, with some scheduled to arrive at Gatwick in the early hours of Saturday. | Inbound flights were also operating with delays, with some scheduled to arrive at Gatwick in the early hours of Saturday. |
| Superintendent James Collis said: “Our investigations are still ongoing, and our activities at the airport continue to build resilience to detect and mitigate further incursions from drones by deploying a range of tactics. | Superintendent James Collis said: “Our investigations are still ongoing, and our activities at the airport continue to build resilience to detect and mitigate further incursions from drones by deploying a range of tactics. |
| “We continue to urge the public, passengers and the wider community around Gatwick to be vigilant and support us by contacting us immediately if they believe they have any information that can help us in bringing those responsible to justice. | “We continue to urge the public, passengers and the wider community around Gatwick to be vigilant and support us by contacting us immediately if they believe they have any information that can help us in bringing those responsible to justice. |
| “The arrests we have made this evening are a result of our determination to keep the public safe from harm, every line of inquiry will remain open to us until we are confident that we have mitigated further threats to the safety of passengers.” | “The arrests we have made this evening are a result of our determination to keep the public safe from harm, every line of inquiry will remain open to us until we are confident that we have mitigated further threats to the safety of passengers.” |
| Anyone with information was asked to call police on 101. | |
| 'It's the fault of one idiot': passengers wait it out at Gatwick | |
| A range of tactics have been used to combat the drones but few details have been released. One piece of equipment believed to have been deployed at the airport is the Israeli-developed Drone Dome system, which can detect drones using radar. It can also jam communications between the drone and its operator, enabling authorities to take control of and land the drone. | |
| Speaking on Friday, Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said the drone flights were “highly targeted” and have “been designed to close the airport and bring maximum disruption in the run up to Christmas”. | |
| He added: “These events obviously highlight a wider strategic challenge for aviation in this country which we need to address together with speed - the aviation industry, government and all the other relevant authorities. | |
| “It cannot be right that drones can close a vital part of our national infrastructure in this way. This is obviously a relatively new technology and we need to think through together the right solutions to make sure it cannot happen again.” | |
| The arrests could bring relief for passengers angry at the ongoing disruption on Friday. | The arrests could bring relief for passengers angry at the ongoing disruption on Friday. |
| One woman due to fly to Sicily on Thursday said she was considering renting a car and driving there after her second flight in two days was cancelled following the fresh sighting. | One woman due to fly to Sicily on Thursday said she was considering renting a car and driving there after her second flight in two days was cancelled following the fresh sighting. |
| Laura Cammarata, 27, who lives in London, was due to travel to the island with her partner for Christmas. She said she was frustrated after their flight rescheduled from Thursday to Friday was cancelled. | Laura Cammarata, 27, who lives in London, was due to travel to the island with her partner for Christmas. She said she was frustrated after their flight rescheduled from Thursday to Friday was cancelled. |
| Cammarata said: “We did the whole process again, we got the train, we started queuing up and at some point they said it’s cancelled again. | Cammarata said: “We did the whole process again, we got the train, we started queuing up and at some point they said it’s cancelled again. |
| “We’re trying to re-book and they’re saying they can’t book us on.” | “We’re trying to re-book and they’re saying they can’t book us on.” |
| Her partner Giuseppe Alia, 28, also from London, said: “They should have some contingency to get people to other airports, I understand it’s not their fault but they should force airlines to collaborate in this situation.” | Her partner Giuseppe Alia, 28, also from London, said: “They should have some contingency to get people to other airports, I understand it’s not their fault but they should force airlines to collaborate in this situation.” |
| The government on Friday denied accusations that it had been slow to combat the threat from drones, and had delayed plans to introduce laws to regulate their use. | The government on Friday denied accusations that it had been slow to combat the threat from drones, and had delayed plans to introduce laws to regulate their use. |
| Shadow transport spokesman Andy McDonald said the government had been too slow to act, despite growing concern over increasing numbers of near misses between drones and manned airports. | Shadow transport spokesman Andy McDonald said the government had been too slow to act, despite growing concern over increasing numbers of near misses between drones and manned airports. |
| The Times reported that transport secretary Chris Grayling had shelved plans to introduce legislation amid pressure on his department, with civil servants being diverted to prepare for Brexit. | The Times reported that transport secretary Chris Grayling had shelved plans to introduce legislation amid pressure on his department, with civil servants being diverted to prepare for Brexit. |
| But a department for transport spokesman said the claims were “totally inaccurate”. | But a department for transport spokesman said the claims were “totally inaccurate”. |
| Gatwick airport | Gatwick airport |
| Drones (non-military) | Drones (non-military) |
| Transport | Transport |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |