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Dubai int'l airport closes for over one hour amid drone activity

Xinhua, October 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Airspace around Dubai International Airport was closed over an hour on Saturday due to unauthorized drone activity, which resulted in the diversion of 22 inbound flights, said government-controlled Dubai Airports in an e-mailed statement.

The statement said it is working closely with its stakeholders to return operations to normal to minimize customer inconvenience.

"Safety is our top priority and Dubai Airports reminds all UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operators that any activity is not permitted unless authorised by regulatory authorities and are strictly prohibited in restricted areas including within five kilometers of any airport or landing area," a spokesperson of Dubai Airports said.

The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) first civil aviation hub had to close several times in the last twelve months due to prohibited UAV activity, the last time in the early morning hours of Sept. 28.

Dubai International, also called DXB, is the world's busiest airport in relation to international passengers.

For 2016, the biggest civil aviation hub in the Middle East targets 85 million passengers, up from 78 million in 2015, according to Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths. Endit