BA flight records suspected drone collision on approach to Heathrow Airport
The Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation following reports that a British Airways flight to Heathrow Airport had been involved in a collision with a drone aircraft on landing.
The incident took place at 12:50BST in the moments before touchdown when the pilot described striking the front of the Airbus A320, which was carrying 132 passengers and five crew from Geneva.
A BA spokesman commented: “Our aircraft landed safely, was fully examined by our engineers and it was cleared to operate its next flight."
Pilot unions have been calling for greater resources to be deployed policing airport perimeters to tackle hobbyists flying drone craft in the vicinity of aircraft due a to a recent spike in such activities, despite those caught facing severe penalties including five years imprisonment.
As yet no arrests have been made in the latest incident.