Flights at a popular Canary Islands holiday destination were temporarily grounded after a drone flew too close to the airport.
The delay affected around 600 passengers passing through Fuerteventura Airport on the morning of Tuesday 14 October. The Spanish island is a popular holiday destination for those seeking winter sun, with warm temperatures and long sandy beaches backed by hotel resorts.
The Spanish police force Guardia Civil said that operations at the airport were halted for over an hour, between 7am and 8.10am, after airport staff spotted a drone flying less than one kilometre from the runway.
The disruption caused by the drone led to two flights being diverted and four delayed, Guardia Civil said in a statement.
Aena, the Spanish airport group, told The Independent that two flights from Malaga and Seville were diverted to Gran Canaria Airport as a result of the drone.
Officers located the person flying the DJI FLIP drone, who claimed to be unaware of the restricted airspace near airports, the police added.
Flying near airports without explicit authorisation from air traffic control or the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency is strictly prohibited.
Aena released a warning to drone owners after the incident on Tuesday.
It said: “The use of unauthorised and improperly coordinated drones in the vicinity of airport facilities poses a very serious risk to aircraft operations.”
“Drone operations are not permitted within 8km of airports,” Aena added. “Irresponsible use of drones in airports can cost lives and result in fines of up to €225,000 (£195,000).”
The incident comes only weeks after another drone incident at Fuerteventura Airport, which also saw the suspension of flights to and from the Canary Islands destination.
The drone, which was detected south of the airport, caused delays, cancellations and diversions, including a knock-on effect at nearby Lanzarote airport on 28 September.
Drones have recently been causing havoc across European airports, resulting in shutdowns and disruption to journeys across the continent.
Dozens of flights were cancelled or diverted at Munich Airport earlier this month, leaving almost 3,000 passengers stranded.
After reopening, the airport had to shut down for the second time in 24 hours due to another suspected drone sighting, impacting a further 6,500 passengers.
This followed other drone-related incidents in Denmark and Norway in late September, as major aviation hubs Copenhagen Airport and Oslo Airport had to close for a short time after drone sightings.
The Independent has contacted the Guardia Civil for comment.
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