Three flights affected by drone sighting near Jersey Airport

Jersey Airport reported unauthorised drone activity in its restricted airspace on Friday evening.

The incident caused three inbound flights to be diverted or cancelled. Aircraft arriving from London Gatwick, London Heathrow, and Southampton were affected by the disruption.

The flight from Gatwick eventually reached Jersey. The services from Heathrow and Southampton were cancelled. Jersey Airport stated that the drones flew within active flight paths.

States of Jersey Police coordinated the response with Honorary Police, Channel Islands Air Search, Government of Jersey colleagues, and Ports of Jersey staff. Teams conducted searches across several areas in the west of the island. No drone operator has been identified yet.

A spokesperson for Jersey Police said the agency should not underestimate the impact on travelling passengers, airport staff, and the wider community. The drone activity occurred in restricted airspace and active flight paths, resulting in considerable delays and inconvenience while agencies ensured the safety of aircraft, passengers, and crew.

One inbound aircraft landed safely in Jersey at approximately 23:45 GMT. Police are seeking information from anyone who was in the St Peter, La Pulente, Watersplash, El Tico, L'Etacq, or Jubilee Hill areas and saw drone activity.