Flight diverted to Dominican Republic due to drone airspace invasion

Spain.- A recent incident involving a drone invading airspace led to the diversion of an Iberia flight, originally bound for Puerto Rico, to the Dominican Republic. The drone’s presence over Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico’s primary airport, not only affected this flight but also caused delays and reroutes for several other flights within the Caribbean region.

Jorge Hernández, the president of Aerostar, the company operating the airport, confirmed that air operations were temporarily delayed on Tuesday night following federal orders. This delay was a precautionary measure taken after the control tower detected a drone in the airport’s airspace.

The situation triggered the activation of Aerostar’s security and emergency response protocols. All relevant federal and state agencies were promptly informed about the event. Hernández emphasized the importance of adhering to federal regulations, stating that operating a drone over the airport without Federal Aviation Administration approval is prohibited and subject to federal penalties. The incident underscores the need for strict adherence to airspace regulations to ensure aviation safety.