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Gatwick drones: Military stood down after airport chaos | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
"Military capability" deployed to counter illegal drone flights at Gatwick Airport has been withdrawn, the Ministry of Defence said. | |
The RAF was deployed as hundreds of flights were cancelled on 20 December following repeated drone sightings. | |
Gatwick said it had spent £5m to prevent future attacks, but would not comment on the nature of the system. | Gatwick said it had spent £5m to prevent future attacks, but would not comment on the nature of the system. |
Sussex Police said no arrests had been made since a couple were released without charge on 23 December. | Sussex Police said no arrests had been made since a couple were released without charge on 23 December. |
More than 140,000 passengers were affected by about 1,000 cancellations and delays during the 36 hours of chaos. | More than 140,000 passengers were affected by about 1,000 cancellations and delays during the 36 hours of chaos. |
People reported being stuck on planes for hours, missing family holidays, job interviews and finding themselves landing at airports they were not expecting. | |
Police said at the time that attempts to catch whoever was controlling the drones were "painstaking" because "each time we believe we get close to the operator, the drone disappears; when we look to reopen the airfield, the drone reappears". | Police said at the time that attempts to catch whoever was controlling the drones were "painstaking" because "each time we believe we get close to the operator, the drone disappears; when we look to reopen the airfield, the drone reappears". |
The drones were first spotted on the evening of 19 December and the knock-on effects from so many cancelled flights meant delays continued into the weekend. | |
It was previously reported that the Israeli-developed Drone Dome system, which can jam communications between the drone and its operator, was deployed. | |
However, it is understood the MoD is still waiting to receive the equipment and an alternative system has been used at Gatwick. | |
A £50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case has been offered by Crimestoppers, which said it had "passed on close to 30 pieces of information to law enforcement within the first 24 hours". | |
A suggestion by a senior Sussex police officer that there may have been no drones at all was later dismissed as a "miscommunication". | |
The force has now said it was investigating "relevant sightings" from 115 witnesses - 93 of whom it described as "credible" - including airport staff, police officers and a pilot. | |
Chief Constable Giles York said some of the drones spotted may have belonged to the police and caused confusion. | |
But he said he was "absolutely certain" a drone had been flying near the runway during the disruption. | |
The MoD said: "The military capability has now been withdrawn from Gatwick. The armed forces stand ever-ready to assist should a request for support be received." | The MoD said: "The military capability has now been withdrawn from Gatwick. The armed forces stand ever-ready to assist should a request for support be received." |
It had previously been reported the Army assisted at Gatwick, but the MoD confirmed it had deployed personnel from the Royal Air Force Regiment. |