The police are investigating the incident involving a drone which was seen flying approx. 30 meters away from a landing LOT passenger aircraft at Warsaw Chopin Airport. The inquiry has been launched into causing danger to safety of air traffic.
The tvn24.pl portal informed about the incident on Saturday. According to our journalist Grzegorz Łakomski, a drone of a glider aircraft size flew 30 meters from a PLL LOT passenger aircraft that was landing. Air disaster was really close. After two PLL LOT planes had landed, all traffic was put to a halt for 30 minutes.
"The incident took place on Saturday afternoon. According to the procedure, the pilots prepared a report. At the moment, the case is being investigated by the incident investigation committee at PLL LOT," the LOT spokesman told PAP on Sunday.
"Every such incident is dangerous. Fortunately, nothing happened this time."
According to the pilots' report, the unidentified drone was about three metres long, the spokesman added.
The police were notified
We asked the police for a comment regarding the incident. "On Saturday, May 13, at 3:50 p.m., our duty officer was notified about an unmanned aerial vehicle flying close to the airport. The officers from the airport station immediately went to check the area congruent to the airport, but did not see that drone anymore," Dariusz Świderski of Warszawa-Okęcie Airport Police Station told tvnwarszawa.pl on Monday.
He also said the crime had been reported to the police by the airport duty officer.
"This is a crime according to Article 211 of the Act from July 3, 2002, Aviation Law. In other words: using an unmanned air vehicle in airspace that could cause danger to air traffic," the policeman explained.
Świderski added further proceeding were taking place. "The officers are trying to determine the circumstances of this incident."
The person or persons responsible for causing the incident may be facing a fine, or non-custodial or even prison sentence up to one year.
Airport incidents
Similar incidents happened at Warsaw Chopin Airport in previous years. In August 2018, we informed at tvnwarszawa.pl about a drone that had flown into the airport territory. The incident caused quite a havoc as a few planes did not land on time. The police had been notified but found out later on it was actually a very small plane which landed at Bemowo airfield. The pilot came forward and agreed to being questioned by the police. A prosecutor's office investigated the case.
Earlier, in 2016, we informed that two drones had flown into Warsaw Chopin Airport. Arriving planes could not land for half an hour. The case was reported to the police.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters, tvnwarszawa.pl
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Artur Węgrzynowicz/tvnwarszawa.pl