Rogue Drone At Palma Airport Causes Chaos As Flights Disrupted

Palma Airport is operating usually aft a drone sighting connected Sunday 19 forced a impermanent suspension of operations for conscionable complete half an hour. The incident took spot astatine Son Sant Joan Airport successful Mallorca, prompting an contiguous halt to arrivals and causing respective flights to divert.

According to Spain’s airdrome authority Aena, aerial postulation controllers suspended arrivals for astir 35 minutes while information checks were carried out. Once nan area was cleared, normal operations resumed.

Disruption and diversions

The disruption led to 8 incoming flights being diverted to different destinations, while respective craft were forced to hold successful holding patterns complete nan island. Among those affected was Jonny Greenall, Chief Pilot and Founder of Balearic Helicopters, whose formation from Barcelona circled nan airdrome for 30 minutes earlier being allowed to land.

Police sources confirmed that nan National Police deployed a drone successful an effort to find nan 1 that caused nan disruption but were unsuccessful. An investigation has been opened to find really nan incident occurred, including identifying wherever nan drone entered restricted airspace and who was operating it.

The arena successful Palma follows akin drone-related disruptions elsewhere successful Europe. Earlier this month, 3 planes were turned distant from Fuerteventura Airport successful nan Canary Islands aft drones were reported adjacent nan runway, halting operations astatine nan airport, which connects to much than 80 destinations.

The incidents person intensified Europe-wide discussions astir drone information and airspace protection. During a acme successful Copenhagen, European Union leaders discussed creating a “drone wall” – a coordinated defence web of sensors and weapons designed to detect, way and neutralise unidentified unmanned craft entering European airspace.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has voiced beardown support for nan initiative, saying nan continent must beryllium prepared for increasing drone incursions. “What I spot wide is simply a pattern, and this shape is coming from Russia,” she said past week, referring to caller intrusions by drones complete Poland and combatant jets complete Estonia.

Unidentified drones crossed Europe

Denmark and Finland person some reported airspace violations involving unidentified drones successful caller weeks, prompting renewed interest complete European aerial security. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said countries “must fortify preparedness,” while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described nan incursions arsenic portion of a “hybrid warfare against Europe.”

While Russia has denied engagement successful nan drone incidents and disputed claims of airspace violations, nan European Union and NATO leaders person expressed increasing alarm. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called nan projected drone wall “timely and necessary,” while France’s President Emmanuel Macron emphasised nan request for “pre-alert systems” and greater world cooperation.

Palma Airport operations person now afloat stabilised pursuing Sunday’s disruption. Authorities proceed to analyse nan root of nan drone and nan usability responsible for breaching restricted airspace.