A number of flights have been forced to divert to Shannon Airport after a drone was spotted at Dublin Airport this evening.
At around 6.45pm, air traffic controllers were alerted to a drone sighting at the airport and in line with protocols for confirmed drone sightings, operations at the airport were suspended. Controllers issued radio messages to approaching and departing aircraft advising crews of the issue.
The pilots of all departing flights were advised that operations at Dublin had been suspended and they would not be taking off as a result of the sighting. Aircraft already taxiing to the runway for departure were advised to hold position.
A Ryanair flight from Gatwick Airport in England already on approach to land, was instructed by air traffic controllers in Dublin to ‘go around’ after a drone was seen ‘over the airfield’. The crew aborted their landing and flew back out over the Irish Sea to await further instructions.
The crew of Ryanair flight FR-113 from Gatwick to Dublin later opted to divert to Shannon and was cleared to do so. Ryanair flights FR-7763 and FR-5150 from Alicante and from Glasgow respectively also diverted to Shannon. Ryanair flight FR-7055 from Malaga to Dublin diverted to Belfast.
Other aircraft on approach to Dublin were placed in holding patterns over the Irish Sea while flights scheduled to departed were grounded while the reported drone sighting was investigated.
It’s understood the drone was observed over the area of the airport where aircraft hangars are located. Airport police officers responded to investigate the report while it’s understood Gardaí were also alerted.
At around 7.10pm it was confirmed operations were ready to resume and flights were once again cleared to depart while aircraft that had been holding were cleared to approach and land.
An Aer Lingus flight from Brussels to Dublin had planned to divert to Shannon but didn’t need to after it was confirmed that operations had resumed at Dublin.
A Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) spokesperson said: “Flight operations at Dublin Airport were suspended for safety reasons for a very short period (less than 10 minutes) this evening (Friday) following a confirmed drone sighting on the airfield. It is illegal to fly drones within five kilometres of an airport in the State. The safety and security of airport users is daa’s key priority at all times and staff at Dublin Airport and An Garda Síochana remain vigilant in relation to drone activity in the vicinity of the airport.”
Late last month, Flight operations were temporarily suspended at Dublin Airport after a drone was detected in the vicinity of the airport.
The incident was reported at around 5.50pm on January 24th and flight operations at the airport were halted in line with protocols for confirmed drone sightings. Operations resumed about 20 minutes later.
It is illegal to fly drones within five kilometres of any airport in the State.