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Flights Resume From London's Heathrow Airport After Drone Sightings Reported


British Airways aircraft sit on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport in London, Jan. 8, 2019. Picture taken through an airplane window.
British Airways aircraft sit on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport in London, Jan. 8, 2019. Picture taken through an airplane window.

Heathrow airport officials in London said fights from the airport have resumed after being halted late Tuesday afternoon following reports of drone sightings in the area.

The flights were suspended at Britain's busiest airport several weeks after London's Gatwick Airport was shutdown for parts of three consecutive days due to reports of drone sightings. It was the worst-ever drone-related disruption at an international airport, canceling or diverting some 1,000 flights and affecting about 140,000 passengers.

The Gatwick situation exposed a new vulnerability that air transportation officials and security forces around the world must address.

Heathrow officials said earlier this month authorities were exploring technology options to prevent the threat of drones. The British army used unidentified military technology in December to guard the Gatwick area, allowing fights to resume.

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