GUWAHATI: Imphal Airport was placed on high alert following the sighting of a small-sized drone by security personnel on Sunday afternoon, causing disruptions to flight operations. The drone was initially spotted around 3 PM, prompting an immediate alert and subsequent postponement of airport operations until security clearance was obtained.
According to media reports, three flights were impacted due to the security alert. Operations resumed around 5:30 PM after the necessary security measures were implemented. The Eastern Command of the Indian Air Force activated its Air Defence response mechanism in response to the incident.
The shutdown lasted approximately four hours, with all incoming and outgoing flights affected. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel initially sighted the unidentified aerial vehicle (UAV), leading to the suspension of operations at around 3 PM, as per media reports.
Approximately 500 passengers on three outbound flights were stranded during the interruption. Flights scheduled for departure to Agartala, Guwahati, and Kolkata were suspended until 6 PM. A flight from Delhi to Imphal was diverted to Kolkata, and a Guwahati to Imphal flight, initially suspended, eventually departed at 6.50 PM.
Speaking to GPlus, an official from the Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal confirmed the sighting of the drone.
As of now, there has been no immediate clarification on the identity of the object. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are jointly investigating the incident.
