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Police nab drone flying suspect

PR dla Zagranicy
Jo Harper 22.07.2015 11:22
Police in the town of Piaseczno, south of Warsaw, have apprehended a man suspected of flying a drone in the vicinity of Chopin Airport in Warsaw on Monday.
Photo: Flickr.com/Carsten FrenzlPhoto: Flickr.com/Carsten Frenzl

The drone forced over 20 planes to divert course on Monday afternoon. One Lufthansa plane reportedly narrowly missed the drone.

Flight staff apparently told those on duty at the Warsaw control tower that the situation was “really dangerous” and that the Polish authorities should “take care” of their airspace. The plane landed safely three minutes after the call.

Robert Opas from the Warsaw City Police HQ said on Tuesday evening that Piaseczno police officers had established who had been flying a drone in the area and then narrowed down the potential suspects before apprehending one man.

“We are questioning a 39-year old man from the Piaseczno area. The drone itself has been taken into safe keeping,” Opas said. The man has been bailed awaiting trial.

The man could reportedly face up to eight years in prison for potentially causing an accident in Polish air space.

A representative from the Polish Aircraft Agency (PAŻP), Mikołaj Karpiński, told the PAP news agency that the incident happened about 6.5 nautical miles from the runway. (jh)

Source: PAP

tags: drone, planes
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