Madrid airspace, the main airport in Spain, was temporarily closed on Monday afternoon due to the suspected presence of drones, which resulted in flight deviations, authorities said.
"The airspace of the Adolfo Suarez Madrid Barajas airport is closed," the ministry of transport said on Twitter around 1:30 p.m. before announcing the resumption of traffic about half an hour later.
"Drones are not toys"
"Delays at the airport (…) due to the possible presence of drones around," said the Spanish public body Enaire, responsible for managing airports and their air traffic. According to airport manager Aena, this temporary airspace closure resulted in 26 flight diversions to other airports.
"Drones are not toys," insisted Enaire, recalling that making them fly "near an airport is a serious offense and that sanctions can reach 90,000 euros". Barajas is the main airport in Spain, with 5.5 million passengers per month, according to the latest official statistics.
The presence of drones has already caused disruptions at other airports around the world, such as Gatwick in London, where by December 2018, a thousand flights had to be canceled or moved for several days.
High-Tech
Discover PigeonBot, a drone that flies away like a bird
World
Spain: Boycott or refusal to applaud the king in parliament
- World
- Spain
- Drone
- Madrid