On the afternoon of August 12, Tan Son Nhat International Airport informed about the incident of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones) appearing near the airport area on the evening of August 11. Notably, many military and police forces were mobilized to verify the location, deploy forces and vehicles to neutralize, suppress and handle UAVs according to their authority.
According to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, at 6:16 pm on August 11, the flight crew of flight 3S621, Tan Son Nhat - Hanoi route, detected a drone on the right side of the aircraft, about 500m away, at an altitude of 1,800ft. Previously, the flight crew of flight VJ601, Cam Ranh - Tan Son Nhat route, also announced the discovery of a drone while approaching the airport. The aircraft landed after detecting the drone about 10 miles away, at an altitude of 3,000ft.
Faced with the above situation, take-off and landing operations at Tan Son Nhat were suspended to ensure safety. Tan Son Nhat International Airport coordinated with the Southern Airport Authority, Southern Flight Management Company and related units to deploy response plans according to regulations.
Notably, the forces participating in handling also included the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Border Gate Police, Ho Chi Minh City Command, Ho Chi Minh City Police, Division 367 and Division 370.
According to the Port, military and police forces have deployed forces and vehicles to verify locations, neutralize, suppress and handle UAVs according to their authority. This is one of the measures being implemented to ensure flight safety when unmanned devices appear near the airport area.
After assessing the situation and determining that the operating conditions were guaranteed, at 7:16 pm, take-off and landing operations at Tan Son Nhat were restored.
However, at about 7:34 pm, another drone was detected about 3km west-southwest of the airport. Faced with this development, operations at the airport continued to be suspended. By 8:34 pm, all operations at Tan Son Nhat International Airport were fully restored.
During the interrupted operating period, airlines deployed personnel to guide, update flight information and adjust operating plans to limit the impact on passengers. After the incident, Tan Son Nhat International Airport and agencies and units organized a meeting to draw experience and review procedures to respond to the situation of UAVs entering the no-fly zone.
The port recommends that organizations and individuals not use unmanned aerial vehicles in the airport area or surrounding areas without permission from competent authorities. According to the Port, UAV intrusion into the flight operation area poses a serious risk to aviation safety and passenger lives.
On the same day, August 12, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam proposed that the Ministry of Construction soon agree on agencies and units to take the lead in handling when UAVs illegally enter no-fly zones, and at the same time invest in early detection and warning systems and UAV suppression equipment. This agency also proposed to complete administrative and criminal sanctions for violations of regulations on the management and use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
