rooster59 Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 Police arrest man and woman over Gatwick drone disruption By Kate Holton An arrivals board in the South Terminal building at Gatwick Airport, after the airport reopened to flights following its forced closure because of drone activity, in Gatwick, Britain, December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville LONDON (Reuters) - Police have arrested a man and a woman after rogue drone operators crippled London's Gatwick Airport for three days by repeatedly flying onto the airfield, sparking a major security response. Britain's second-largest airport was forced to close its runway in the run up to Christmas after drones started appearing on the site south of London in the most disruptive incursion from unmanned aerial vehicles at any major airport. Police said they had made two arrests late on Friday as part of its ongoing investigation into the criminal use of drones. No group has claimed responsibility for the disruption, which affected at least 120,000 people on Wednesday and Thursday. The airport, which shut its runway for spells on Wednesday and Friday and for all of Thursday, said it aimed to run a full schedule on Saturday. However, it warned that passengers should expect delays and cancellations as it continues to recover from the biggest disruption since an Icelandic volcanic ash cloud in 2010. "We continue to urge the public, passengers and the wider community around Gatwick to be vigilant," police said. "Our investigations are still on-going, and our activities at the airport continue to build resilience to detect and mitigate further incursions from drones, by deploying a range of tactics," they added in a statement. The pre-Christmas travel disruption began late on Wednesday when Gatwick was forced to cancel all flights after spotting small drones near the airfield. Every time the airport operators sought to reopen the runway on Thursday, the drones returned. Authorities finally regained control over the airfield after the army deployed unidentified military technology to guard the area, reassuring the airport that it was safe enough to fly. "Safety is Gatwick's top priority and we are grateful for passengers' continued patience as we work to get them to their final destination in time for Christmas," the airport said. The drone sightings caused misery for travellers, many sleeping on the airport floor as they searched for alternative routes to holidays and Christmas family gatherings. The biggest airlines operating at Gatwick include easyJet, British Airways and Norwegian and have said it is too early to determine the financial impact. Unmanned aerial vehicles have become a growing menace at airports across the world. In Britain, the number of near misses between private drones and aircraft more than tripled between 2015 and 2017, with 92 incidents recorded last year. -- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-22 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post petermik Posted December 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 22, 2018 If found guilty they should be given a long prison sentence minimum 5 years to deter other drone idiots thinking of doing the same.......caused misery to many......to**ers 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post smedly Posted December 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 22, 2018 38 minutes ago, petermik said: If found guilty they should be given a long prison sentence minimum 5 years to deter other drone idiots thinking of doing the same.......caused misery to many......to**ers and if they have any assets I hope they are seized and used to go towards the huge cost and disruption caused by these two extremely stupid people, jail them to the max and leave them penniless 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daffy D Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 2 hours ago, smedly said: and if they have any assets I hope they are seized and used to go towards the huge cost and disruption caused by these two extremely stupid people, jail them to the max and leave them penniless Then they will end up on Social Security with the taxpayer supporting them probably for the rest of their lives. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 If they turn out to have names like Yazmine and Ali ... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 7by7 Posted December 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 22, 2018 9 minutes ago, bendejo said: If they turn out to have names like Yazmine and Ali … Whatever their names, which as usual under English law wont be released until and unless they are charged, your thinly veiled xenophobic assumption is by far the least likely reason for this event. The arrested couple come from Crawley: Gatwick drones: Man and woman from Crawley held. Therefore it is extremely likely that this idiotic and dangerous action is some form of protest over the plan to increase Gatwick's capacity: Gatwick Airport move to increase capacity 'underhand' I am not, of course, implying that organisations such as Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emission are connected in any way with this attack. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Old Croc Posted December 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 22, 2018 33 minutes ago, bendejo said: If they turn out to have names like Yazmine and Ali ... Their names are Paul Gait and Elaine Kirk, who are 47 and 54, respectively 3 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smedly Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 3 hours ago, Daffy D said: Then they will end up on Social Security with the taxpayer supporting them probably for the rest of their lives. I can't see the currently arrested couple as the culprits - for me they just don't fit although they could be helping police find who is responsible, if it is them then it really is hard to believe 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 7by7 Posted December 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 22, 2018 16 minutes ago, smedly said: I can't see the currently arrested couple as the culprits - for me they just don't fit although they could be helping police find who is responsible, if it is them then it really is hard to believe Why? 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 1 hour ago, 7by7 said: your thinly veiled xenophobic assumption Was it good for you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 7by7 Posted December 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 22, 2018 15 minutes ago, bendejo said: Was it good for you? You must be bitterly disappointed that the arrested couple are white and have British names. 5 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post bendejo Posted December 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 22, 2018 You guys who are quick to claim the high moral ground aren't fooling anybody. Putting others down to elevate yourself, fighting off your inner bigot, is nothing new. 3 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanemax Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 1 hour ago, smedly said: I can't see the currently arrested couple as the culprits - for me they just don't fit although they could be helping police find who is responsible, if it is them then it really is hard to believe Theres probably some illegal immigrants in their house , thats why the Police are searching their house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Chomper Higgot Posted December 22, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 22, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, bendejo said: You guys who are quick to claim the high moral ground aren't fooling anybody. Putting others down to elevate yourself, fighting off your inner bigot, is nothing new. Your bigoted mind lead you down your usual Islamophobic path, you got proven wrong. You’re not looking very smart old bean. Edited December 22, 2018 by Chomper Higgot 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tug Posted December 23, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 23, 2018 Whoever is proven to have done this should face serious jail time and personally I enjoy flying RC sailplanes it’s nuts like this that can ruin one of my hobbies 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopDeadSenter Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 5 hours ago, 7by7 said: You must be bitterly disappointed that the arrested couple are white and have British names. No. Most people will be relieved, because we have names and faces. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyezhov Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Perhaps they are Greenies opposed to airport expansion? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Spidey Posted December 23, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 23, 2018 14 minutes ago, Nyezhov said: Perhaps they are Greenies opposed to airport expansion? Greenies are pacifists. They would never do such a thing. This couple are from Essex. Probably Millwall supporters. Bunch of troublemakers, always up to no good. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorchester Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Great,these two wrecked a great hobby thats enjoyed by a lot of people. They played a stupid game and now are receiving the stupid prize. The people that like this hobby are now left with more laws and restrictions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vogie Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 12 minutes ago, Spidey said: Greenies are pacifists. They would never do such a thing. This couple are from Essex. Probably Millwall supporters. Bunch of troublemakers, always up to no good. They don't look like your typical yob or football supporter type, or even greenies, but they did live in Crawley, not far from the airport. Gatwick does allow limited night flying, about 20 flights a night in winter, 50 in summer. I wonder if their £600,000 house was under a flight path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post baboon Posted December 23, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 23, 2018 16 minutes ago, dorchester said: Great,these two wrecked a great hobby thats enjoyed by a lot of people. They played a stupid game and now are receiving the stupid prize. The people that like this hobby are now left with more laws and restrictions. Let's bear in mind that nobody has as yet been convicted in a court of law. Shouldn't we put down our pitchforks and burning torches until then? 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAG Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 9 minutes ago, baboon said: Let's bear in mind that nobody has as yet been convicted in a court of law. Shouldn't we put down our pitchforks and burning torches until then? You are being a bit of a "Grinch"! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ballpoint Posted December 23, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 23, 2018 Punishment should fit the crime. If found guilty, sentence them to 5 years in the departure hall at Gatwick waiting to check in for a permanently delayed flight. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post spidermike007 Posted December 23, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 23, 2018 If it is proven to be this couple, who caused this massive disruption of a major airport, delayed tens of thousands of vacationers, who had paid accommodations on the other end, and caused hundreds of millions in losses to the airlines, they should be sentenced to a very long time in prison, to serve as an example to the drone community that certain actions have heavy consequences. This was totally beyond the pale. Stunts like this cannot be tolerated. When it comes to the safety and function of the major airports, a more extreme form of justice should apply. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post poohy Posted December 23, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 23, 2018 (edited) Not so convinced especially as his boss was saying he was fitting windows at certain times when he supposed to droning . Also they just dont seem to fit the bill ( and no i dont mean because they are white and non Muslim) I was expecting a more Citizen Smith type of guy ... lets see Edited December 23, 2018 by poohy 4 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evadgib Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, dorchester said: Great,these two wrecked a great hobby thats enjoyed by a lot of people. They played a stupid game and now are receiving the stupid prize. The people that like this hobby are now left with more laws and restrictions. As happened to law abiding gun owners after Hungerford and Dunblane yet firearms use has increased among the sort for whom the rules never apply. Edited December 23, 2018 by evadgib 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TopDeadSenter Posted December 23, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted December 23, 2018 4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said: If it is proven to be this couple, who caused this massive disruption of a major airport, delayed tens of thousands of vacationers, who had paid accommodations on the other end, and caused hundreds of millions in losses to the airlines, they should be sentenced to a very long time in prison, to serve as an example to the drone community that certain actions have heavy consequences. This was totally beyond the pale. Stunts like this cannot be tolerated. When it comes to the safety and function of the major airports, a more extreme form of justice should apply. Prison? Yes, certainly. But really their house, and all assets needs to be confiscated and sold and proceeds to be distributed among those affected passengers. Other green drone pilots or anybody considering shutting down an airport by drone would then have second thoughts. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 2 minutes ago, evadgib said: As happened to law abiding gun owners after hungerford and dunblain yet firearms use has increased among the sort for whom the rules never apply. Nope. Gun crime has reduced dramatically. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 2 hours ago, vogie said: They don't look like your typical yob or football supporter type, or even greenies, but they did live in Crawley, not far from the airport. Looks like a typical Essex chav wedding to me. Ever watched an episode of "Made in Essex"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evadgib Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 (edited) 22 minutes ago, ballpoint said: Punishment should fit the crime. If found guilty, sentence them to 5 years in the departure hall at Gatwick waiting to check in for a permanently delayed flight. Punishment may well go the same way as the 'Grenfell garden bonfire' stunt once the outrage has passed. Edited December 23, 2018 by evadgib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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