Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested and charged a 42-year-old man with obstructing air transport after he allegedly flew kites in a restricted airspace area, causing significant disruption to flight operations at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
Authorities announced on August 28 that Than Van Tan had been formally charged and placed in pre-trial detention on allegations of endangering aviation safety.
A representative of the HCM City Police Department works with suspect Than Van Tan (Photo: Nguyen Trang).
According to investigators, aviation authorities detected an unidentified airborne object near Tham Luong Bridge on the evening of August 13. As a precautionary measure, aircraft arrival operations at Tan Son Nhat Airport were temporarily suspended.
Following the incident, police launched an urgent investigation and identified Tan as the individual responsible. Officers determined that he had been flying illuminated kites fitted with flashing lights in Binh Hung Hoa Ward.
Investigators said Tan had brought three kites to the area and launched them within airspace designated as a no-fly zone for Tan Son Nhat Airport.
Than Van Tan, centre, with the seized whistle kite (Photo: Nguyen Trang).
The incident disrupted 21 arriving and departing flights and caused financial losses estimated at several billion Vietnamese dong, according to police.
Ho Chi Minh City Police urged residents not to fly kites, balloons, sky lanterns, drones, remotely piloted aircraft or other airborne objects within restricted or prohibited aviation zones.
Police warned that actions posing risks to aviation safety would be dealt with strictly and that offenders could face criminal prosecution where sufficient evidence exists.