A British Airways aircraft with 180 passengers aboard came dangerously close to colliding with a drone over Kent, a recent report reveals.
The Airbus A321, flying from Athens, Greece, to London Heathrow, was travelling at over 250mph and an altitude of 9,600ft during the incident.
On January 3, a near-miss incident occurred between a British Airways jet and an illegally operated drone. This is believed to be one of the closest encounters of its kind.
The incident happened just before 4:30 pm when the plane entered a holding stack about six miles south of Sevenoaks. The plane was waiting for clearance to join the final approach path into Heathrow Airport.
According to the UK Airprox Board report, the drone was being operated at a staggering 24 times the maximum legal height, which is 400ft. Despite efforts, the operator of the drone remains unidentified.
However, they could face up to five years in jail for endangering an aircraft, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Pilots on the BA flight described the drone as hovering approximately 5ft above their wing and a mere 30ft from their cockpit. The incident was classified as a Category A, indicating a severe risk of collision.
The report provided a detailed description of the drone’s flight path. It mentioned that the drone flew down the right-hand side of the aircraft and crossed over the right wing.
Quick and adequate measures were taken, and the information was immediately communicated to London Air Traffic Control. They informed the pilot of the following aircraft about the situation.
Given the object’s closeness to the aircraft, as it flew by on the right-hand side, the British Airways pilot assessed the chance of a collision as high. A spokesperson for the airline has underlined the seriousness of these occurrences and said that reports are made to allow the relevant authorities to look into the matter and take necessary action.
“We take such matters extremely seriously, and our pilots report incidents so that the authorities can investigate and take appropriate action.” – British Airways Spokesperson.
The incident underscores the pressing need for enhanced measures to prevent illegal drone activity near airports and aircraft, safeguarding the safety of passengers and crew.
