Police arrest two people in connection with “criminal use” of drones at Gatwick Airport

Sussex Police have arrested two people in connection with the "criminal use of drones" that resulted in major disruption at Gatwick Airport this week. 

More than 100,000 people were affected by grounded flights between Wednesday and Friday, just days before Christmas. 

Flights were temporarily suspended again on Friday evening after reports of a drone near the airfield and despite the arrests, police have asked those at Gatwick to remain vigilant.

The police detained a man and a woman at around 10pm on Friday after days of searching for those responsible and said it was part of the "ongoing investigations into the criminal use of drones which has severely disrupted flights in and out of Gatwick Airport."

Superintedent James Collis added: "We continue to urge the public, passengers and the wider community around Gatwick to be vigilant and support us by contacting us immediately if they believe they have any information that can help us in bringing those responsible to justice.

"The arrests we have made are a result of our determination to keep the public safe from harm. Every line of enquiry will remain open to us until we are confident that we have mitigated further threats to the safety of passengers."

A spokesperson for Gatwick airport confirmed that flights had resumed on Friday evening after being suspended for more than an hour following a sighting at around 5:10pm.

With military measures now in place it is safe for planes to fly and there is equipment that can be deployed that is capable of jamming signals to the drones as well as tracking them.

Gatwick is the UK's second biggest airport but was forced into total shutdown on Thursday and part of Wednesday when drones illegaly violated the 1km perimeter around the airport.