Drones in Jersey Airport airspace divert three UK flights
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The gist
Three flights from Gatwick, Heathrow and Southampton were diverted from Jersey Airport over drone activity.
No drone operator has been identified, and police are still seeking witnesses.
Background
Jersey Airport is the Channel Islands airport whose restricted airspace and active flight paths were entered by drones on a Friday evening. Three inbound aircraft were sent back to the UK, and police said searches across the west of the island have not yet identified who was flying them. The disruption is the latest in a run of airport news that also includes major US terminal projects and rankings.
How it unfolded
- Oct 30, 2026Three flights due from London Gatwick, London Heathrow and Southampton were diverted back to the UK because of drones in Jersey Airport's restricted airspace.
- Oct 30, 2026The Gatwick flight eventually arrived in Jersey; the Heathrow and Southampton services were cancelled.
- recentlyOne of the diverted aircraft landed safely in Jersey at around 23:45 GMT.
- recentlySearches were carried out across several areas in the west of the island, but no drone operator has been identified.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- A Jersey Police spokesperson said the drone activity occurred within restricted airspace and active flight paths, causing significant disruption, and that its impact on passengers, airport staff and the wider community should not be underestimated.
Still unverified
No drone operator has yet been identified after searches across several areas in the west of Jersey; police are seeking anyone in St Peter, La Pulente, Watersplash, El Tico, L'Etacq, Jubilee Hill or surrounding areas who saw drone activity.