British Airways flight missed illegally flown drones by just METRES

British Airways flight missed illegally flown drones by just METRES

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A British Airways flight avoided colliding with a pair of illegally flown drones by just metres, putting 200 passengers' lives at risk, a report has revealed.

The Airbus A321 on a flight from Rome was at a height of 800ft and on its final approach to Heathrow when the terrifying near-miss happened.

The plane was quickly descending at 160mph when the two drones loomed into view at 1pm on July 28 over Isleworth, west London.

Flying at about 800ft, they were just 50ft above the plane as it soared beneath them, meaning the risk to the plane and passengers was severe.

A report by the UK Airprox Board, which assesses near misses, rated it a Category A incident where there was a serious risk of collision.

The drones were being flown illegally at double the usual 400ft maximum height for the devices.

It is believed that they were deliberately being flown just outside the 5km restriction zone for drones which extends from the ends of every airport runway in the UK.

The pilot or pilots of the devices risked prosecution for endangering an aircraft by reckless flying which carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail - but they were never caught.

It is thought that the drones may have been flown into the path of the plane in a bid to capture dramatic video footage of a passenger jet soaring past in mid-air.

But airline pilots and navigation experts have long warned of the risk of a drone smashing an aircraft windscreen or being sucked into a jet engine, putting the lives of passengers and crew at risk.

The UKAB report said the first officer of the flight had 'initially noticed two objects immediately in front of and higher than the aircraft and pointed them out to the Captain who also clearly perceived them.'

The report added: 'They were clearly identifiable as two identical drones in the shape of two '3's flying in a lateral formation perfectly up the approach, about 50ft (max) above the aircraft.

'The black propellers on the objects were clearly identifiable by both pilots. Both pilots assessed a risk of impact.'

The crew estimated that the two drones were around 50ft over the plane when it soared beneath them.

The report concluded: 'In the Board's opinion the reported altitude and/or description of the object were sufficient to indicate that it could have been a drone.

'The Board considered that providence had played a major part in the incident and/or a definite risk of collision had existed.'

A BA spokesperson said: 'We take such matters extremely seriously and our pilots report incidents so that the authorities can investigate and take appropriate action.'