Operations at Cesar Manrique-Lanzarote Airport were temporarily suspended on Sunday afternoon following a drone sighting, causing significant delays for incoming flights. The incident occurred just after 4pm local time, prompting air traffic controllers to issue a halt to all operations as a safety precaution.
Drone Sighting Disrupts Operations
Spanish air traffic controllers announced on social media platform X: "Operations halted at the airport in Lanzarote due to the presence of a drone in the vicinity. Incoming traffic in holding patterns. Delays for safety reasons." The runway remained closed for nearly an hour before normal activities resumed. It is not yet clear whether any flights to or from the United Kingdom were affected.
Pilots of aircraft scheduled to land were instructed to perform holding manoeuvres while awaiting clearance for descent. Fortunately, none were forced to divert to other airports in the Canary Islands. Authorities have launched an investigation to identify the operator of the drone, which remains unknown at this time.
Legal Consequences for Unauthorised Drone Use
The unauthorised use of drones for recreational purposes in restricted areas, such as airports, can result in fines of up to €200,000 (approximately £200,000). For professional use, the penalty can escalate to a staggering €4.5 million (£3.9 million). This incident follows a similar occurrence in September last year, when three aircraft carrying holidaymakers were diverted from Fuerteventura Airport after a drone was spotted in the Playa Blanca area, south of El Matorral. The affected flights originated from Seville, Santiago de Compostela, and Gran Canaria, with one Ryanair flight from Santiago de Compostela being redirected to Lanzarote, while the other two landed at Gran Canaria Airport.
Broader Context of Drone Incursions
The disruption at Lanzarote Airport comes amid a series of drone incursions across Europe in recent days. Drone sightings led to the shutdown of air traffic in Denmark, with several reports in Norway near the Orland air force base and over a military base in Marne, northeastern France. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen commented on the sightings, which occurred over military sites for two consecutive days, describing them as part of "hybrid attacks" that may be linked to Russia.
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