Police consider shooting down drones at airport

British police were yesterday considering shooting down the drone that has grounded flights and caused chaos at London’s Gatwick Airport, with passengers set to face a third day of disruption. Police said it was a “tactical option” after more than 50 sightings of the device near the airfield since Wednesday night when the runway was first closed. Police and airport authorities believe the drone is being flown in a deliberate act to disrupt the airport at one of the busiest times of year, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded just days before Christmas.

Gatwick reopens

Gatwick Airport reopened while police are still hunting for the drone operator or operators, while military resources have been deployed to safeguard Britain’s second-busiest airport. A Gatwick spokesman said that 91 of Friday’s 412 scheduled arrivals had been cancelled, while 64 of 371 scheduled departures had also been scrapped.

Gatwick’s chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe told BBC radio that police were yet to find the operator of the drones and the airport was only able to reopen its sole runway due to the “additional mitigating measures” provided by government agencies and the military.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told the BBC that “military capabilities” were being deployed”. “There are a range of measures which are there today which should give passengers confidence that they are safe to fly,” he said.