Gatwick drones: As it happened

Summary

Gatwick drones: As it happened

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Gatwick disruption: What we know so farpublished at 22:40 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Tens of thousands of passengers on several airlines have been disrupted by drones flying over Gatwick Airport. Here's what we know so far.
- Gatwick has closed for a second night as drone sightings continued over the airfield
- Sussex Police said it has received about 50 reports of a drone being flown around the airport
- Firearms could be used to shoot the drone down, Sussex Police said
- The Army was deployed with "specialist equipment"
- Flights have remained grounded since Wednesday
- Gatwick: "We will review overnight whether there is any potential to open tomorrow."
'This is new territory for us' - Sussex Policepublished at 22:37 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Sussex Police says it has "learnt a lot" in the past 24 hours and dealing with the drone activity at Gatwick Airport has been "new territory".
Det Ch Supt Jason Tingley said: "There are contingencies for instances such as this both in terms of the Gatwick Airport authorities and ourselves, Sussex Police.
"But this is definitely new territory.
“We are doing our very best in terms of that capability and those tactical options to deal with this issue and effectively mitigate the threat that drone may pose whilst in the air," he added.
'Stuck in Seville - it's awesome'published at 22:26 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Some travellers have been salvaging what they can from today's disruption.
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Watch: Gatwick airport closed for rest of eveningpublished at 22:17 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
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Contingency planning includes 'no flights tomorrow'published at 22:13 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Gatwick Airport is working on contingency plans including the possibility of no flights tomorrow, the airport's chief operating officer has said.
"I think what's clear from the last 24 hours is that drones are a UK aviation issue, or even an international aviation issue," he said.
"We have had the police, we have had the military seeking to bring this drone down for the last 24 hours and to date that has not been successful."
Mr Woodroofe said Gatwick airport would be closed for the rest of the evening.
"But we are working up contingency plans all the way through to no flights tomorrow," he added.
'She's been in tears all day'published at 22:07 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
Lee Dagger says his teenage daughter has been left extremely upset after her plans for the Christmas holidays were ruined.
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No arrests over drones - Sussex policepublished at 22:02 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
There have not yet been any arrests over the drone activity near Gatwick airport.
“We have a number of lines of inquiry and persons of interest," Det Ch Supt Jason Tingley said.
He reiterated that the incident was not being treated as terrorism-related.
Sussex Police appeals for photos of Gatwick drone sightingspublished at 21:59 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Sussex Police has appealed to members of the public to pass on any photos of the drones sighted near Gatwick Airport to help identify them.
Det Ch Supt Jason Tingley said: “We have got some estimations around the size of the drone, what it looks like.
"We haven’t yet identified the specific make and model of the drone. That will influence our tactical options."
Firearms could be used to shoot down drone - Sussex Policepublished at 21:52 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Firearms could be used to shoot the drone down, Det Ch Supt Jason Tingley has said.
Mr Tingley said the use of firearms "will be within our suite of tactical options available to us going forward".
“The assessment earlier on today was that we wouldn’t be using firearms and capability to deal with the drone," he said.
"This is a continually reviewed process so you will know and have seen that we have firearms officers deployed today."
Gatwick disruption: More of your storiespublished at 21:48 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Airline passengers have been trapped in airports around the globe, with plans being altered if they can, and scrapped if they can't.
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'Sensible discussions needed'published at 21:45 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
The director of drone photography company HexCam says the disruption at Gatwick should lead to "sensible discussions" on how the technology can be "appropriately legislated and risks mitigated".
In a blog entry, external, Elliott Corke, who also heads drone training school the Aerial Academy, says: "There are going to be a lot of learning points to take away from this situation."
He writes: "We have been warning for five years or more that there is the potential for drones to be misused, as can any useful technology...
"It doesn't surprise me that it has happened, I am just very thankful that it has actually had a relatively benign outcome that will hopefully get people talking about prevention."
He adds: "Unfortunately, the prevention is the difficult part at the moment. When open source technology is used, that operates on readily available frequencies, it is very easy to bypass both technological and physical barriers."
Image source, LinkedIn
Police receive dozens of reports about dronespublished at 21:40 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
Sussex Police says it's received nearly 50 reports of a drone being flown around Gatwick since mid-evening on 19 December.
The force is leading the operation to try and catch the person operating the device, which has grounded all flights from the airport for 24 hours.
Image source, Sussex Police
Quote Message
My heart goes out to all travellers who have been affected by this criminal behaviour. Our assessment, based upon the information that we have available to us, is that this incident is not terrorism-related."
Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley, Sussex Police specialist crime command
New drone sighting 'in last hour'published at 21:34 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
There has been another drone sighting in the last hour and Gatwick airport will remain closed for the rest of the evening, Gatwick chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe has said.
"We will review overnight whether there is any potential to open tomorrow," he said.
He said passengers should check with their airlines and not travel to the airport tomorrow unless advised to do so.
Gatwick runway closed for rest of the eveningpublished at 21:27 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Breaking
The runway at Gatwick Airport will be closed for the rest of this evening, Gatwick's chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe has said.
In terms of tomorrow, Mr Woodroofe said the situation is "fluid".
Drone disruption is globalpublished at 21:22 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
The effects of the Gatwick drone disruption are even being felt in California.
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Scots wedding party in drone travel chaospublished at 21:14 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Bride-to-be Tayo Abraham and her partner Ope Odedine are due to get married in Morocco on Saturday.
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Ruined holidays and plans shatteredpublished at 21:08 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Tom Murray Willis was due to fly from Helsinki to Gatwick to spend Christmas with his family in Sussex, and when his flight was cancelled he decided to re-book with a different airline flying to Heathrow.
Quote Message
Today I’ve had an early wake up call, one cancelled flight and six more hours waiting in the airport. I’ve spent an extra €350 which I doubt I’ll get back. I think it’s appalling that Gatwick don’t have a plan in place to deal with drones, they are clearly a potential risk to aircraft safety."
Tom Murray Willis
Image source, Paul Fowler
'If I don't laugh, I'll cry'published at 21:05 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
You've been telling us your stories of how the drone disruption has left your festive plans in tatters.
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Stranded passengers forced to cancel holidays or take to the roadspublished at 20:56 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
Laura Burchell, who should have been on her way to Goa this morning, is hoping she'll get away tomorrow.
Quote Message
Currently no further updates except they hope to go on Saturday at some point and to keep checking the website. This is more than 48 hours after my original departure time. Passengers were understanding that safety is paramount but it’s the uncertainty of if or when we will reach our destination that is stressing people out."
Laura Burchell
Zayn Hanif and his wife have had to cancel their holiday in Morocco to celebrate their first anniversary, after their Air Arabia flight got no further than Gatwick's runway at 20:40 GMT on Wednesday.
Quote Message
I should be in Marrakesh enjoying the city, but instead I’m sitting in my flat looking for some holiday cottage in the UK to at least have some form of a holiday. All alternative travel options to Marrakesh are too costly or take a ridiculously long time to get there."
Zayn Hanif
Viviane's sister has had to take to the road to complete her journey.
Quote Message
My sister was due to fly from Genoa to Gatwick at 10:15 this morning for a family Christmas - she is now making her way by coach to Milan for a flight to Heathrow finally arriving here in North London about midnight."
Vivian Potter
'My mother cried all day'published at 20:53 Greenwich Mean Time 20 December 2018
Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter
Samira Boussaid described today as "the worst experience of our lives" after she and her family arrived at Gatwick this morning only to spend 15 hours waiting for news about their flight.
They eventually arranged an alternative flight from Heathrow on Friday afternoon.
Image source, Samira Boussaid
Image caption,
Samira Boussaid and her family waited at Gatwick for 15 hours before abandoning plans to fly on Thursday
Quote Message
Whoever is responsible for this drone incident should be put behind bars. The number of people falling ill from exhaustion was incredible. My own mother cried all day long, she is also unwell."
Samira Bouissaid