A source confirmed on the afternoon of February 22 that multiple take-offs and landings at Danang International Airport were affected after a drone illegally entered airspace near the facility.
A remotely controlled aerial device (Photo: Hoai Son).
The incident was detected at about 11.02 am. Air traffic controllers were forced to suspend runway operations for several minutes to inspect the area where the flying object was reported, in order to ensure flight safety.
According to initial information, 10 arriving flights were placed in holding patterns, including four that were diverted to alternate airports. A further nine departures were delayed on the ground.
Data from the flight-tracking application Flightradar24 showed several aircraft circling above Danang before landing, including at least one international service. Another source confirmed that flights operating at the international terminal were also affected.
By later that afternoon, airport operations had returned to normal.
Authorities warned that the uncontrolled release or operation of aerial devices poses a serious threat to aviation safety. Members of the public were urged not to fly or operate unmanned aerial vehicles near airport areas to avoid endangering flights and disrupting operations.
February 22 marks a peak travel day during the Lunar New Year holiday, with Danang International Airport scheduled to handle approximately 336 take-offs and landings.