Gatwick Airport: Flights suspended after suspected drone spotted

Flights were suspended from 1.44pm today while investigations into the drone sighting took place.

Twelve flights were diverted to Stansted, Southend, Luton, Heathrow and Bristol.

Arrivals were circling over East Sussex while several departures were also suspended.

Passengers waiting to take off said they were told that departures were waiting on an update from police before take off.

A Gatwick Airport spokesman said: “Passenger safety is the airport’s absolute priority and – following established procedures - operations at London Gatwick were suspended temporarily at 1.44pm, while investigations into the sighting of a suspected drone close to the airfield took place.

“These investigations have now completed and the airfield reopened at 2.35pm.  Twelve inbound aircraft were diverted to other airports during the investigation, however we expect many of these to return to London Gatwick today.”

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A police helicopter flew around the airport while flights were suspended.

One person told The Argus their flight was almost diverted to Bournemouth.

Flights resumed at Gatwick from about 2.15pm.

Drone pilots are not allowed to fly their drones within 5km of any UK airport or above 400ft in the air.

Between December 19 and 21, 2018, hundreds of flights were cancelled at Gatwick due to drone suspected sightings close to the runway.

Two people were later arrested in connection with the incident but both released without charge.