Police have launched an investigation after a British Airways plane approaching Heathrow Airport was hit by a drone.
On Sunday afternoon, flight BA727 from Geneva, Switzerland with 132 passengers and five crew on board, was struck by an object, as it approached London Heathrow Airport. After landing safely, the pilot reported that the suspected drone, had struck the front of the Airbus A320.
Scotland Yard said police based at the airport have launched an investigation, although no arrests have yet been made. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch, who investigate air accidents in the United Kingdom, confirmed it has also begun a separate probe.
A British Airways spokesman said: “Our aircraft landed safely, was fully examined by our engineers and it was cleared to operate its next flight.” The airline will give the police “every assistance with their investigation”, the spokesman added.
This strike is the most serious in a string of incidents involving drones in UK airspace, with several near misses reported in the last year. However, this is a major problem around the word, as advanced drones become more affordable.
The British Airline Pilots Association tweeted “Was only a matter of time given the huge numbers being flown by amateurs who don’t understand the risks & the rules.”
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