Drone sightings force Singapore’s Changi airport to temporarily close runway, causing dozens of flight delays
- The airport, one of Asia’s busiest hubs, temporarily closed one of its two runways, causing headaches for passengers on about 37 flights
- It is against the law in Singapore to fly a drone within 5km (3.1 miles) of an airport without a permit
Singapore’s main airport temporarily closed a runway after drones were spotted in the area, causing dozens of flights to be delayed, authorities said Wednesday.
Changi Airport, one of Asia’s busiest hubs, closed one of its two runways for short periods from late Tuesday into early Wednesday after the drone sightings, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said.
About 37 flights were delayed and one arriving in Singapore was diverted to neighbouring Malaysia, the agency said. Authorities have launched an investigation.
It is against the law in Singapore to fly a drone within 5km (3.1 miles) of an airport without a permit, The Straits Times newspaper reported.
Anyone convicted of breaking the regulation faces up to a year in jail.
Changi’s runway closure is the latest case of unmanned aerial devices causing disruption at a major airport after thousands of passengers were affected when drone sightings forced the closure of Britain’s Gatwick Airport last year.
In 2017, more than 240 flights were disrupted by drones at an airport in southwest China, leaving 10,000 travellers stranded.