A British Airways jet carrying 132 passengers and five crew members has been hit by a suspected drone as it started to land at Heathrow Airport in London, UK.
However, flight BA727 managed to land at Heathrow Terminal 5 safely after the strike.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The matter is currently being investigated by aviation police on the basis of the reports made by the pilot of the aircraft, which was travelling from Geneva, Switzerland, at the time of the incident.
Following the strike, British Airways stated that the Airbus A320 jet was inspected by engineers and later cleared for its next flight, reports Independent.
A spokesperson from the UK’s Metropolitan Police said: "A pilot on an inbound flight into Heathrow Airport from Geneva reported to police that he believed a drone had struck the aircraft.
"It transpired that an object, believed to be a drone, had struck the front of the aircraft."
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataNo arrests have been made so far since the matter is still under investigation.
The Civil Aviation Authority also noted that it is improper to fly drones close to airports and anyone flouting the rules can face strict penalties such as imprisonment.
British Airways said: "Our aircraft landed safely, was fully examined by our engineers and it was cleared to operate its next flight.
"Safety and security are always our first priority and we will give the police every assistance with their investigation."
According to its new reports, the UK Airprox Board (UKAB) investigated around 23 near misses between aircraft and drones between April and October last year, reports The Telegraph.
Of the 23 near miss incidents, 12 were given an A rating, which means there was a serious risk of collision.
