HAI PHONG, Vietnam: Four flights scheduled to land at Cat Bi International Airport in the northern city of Hai Phong were diverted to an alternate airport on Sunday (March 15) after an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was detected near the runway, airport authorities said.
Several other flights were also forced to adjust their operations due to the presence of UAVs in the vicinity of the runway the same day.
On the evening of Sunday, according to the Cat Bi air traffic control tower, the crew of flight VJC280 reported spotting a UAV approximately eight km from the touchdown point, at an altitude of around 300m, crossing the flight path as the aircraft was on approach.
At the same time, the crew of flight HVN1180 observed a luminous unidentified object within the take-off and landing area.
Upon receiving the reports, relevant authorities immediately activated emergency response procedures and instructed inbound aircraft to reduce speed and await further instructions.
Flights including HVN1186, VJC282, HVN1518 and HVN1188 were ultimately forced to divert to Noi Bai International Airport after holding in the air.
Two additional flights were delayed on the ground awaiting clearance to depart.
Operations at Cat Bi International Airport resumed on Monday morning after the area was confirmed to be safe.
The aviation sector urged the public not to operate UAVs or drones in or near airports and surrounding areas without proper authorisation.
A representative of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam stressed “Just a minute of unauthorised use can expose hundreds of passengers to safety risks, cause significant losses to airlines and travellers, and violators may face heavy administrative penalties or even criminal prosecution, depending on the severity.”
Recent incidents were also reported near Da Nang International Airport, where UAVs repeatedly entered restricted airspace used for aircraft take-off, approach and landing.
The devices were detected at distances ranging from three to 12 nautical miles and at altitudes of approximately 1,000 to 3,800 feet, posing a risk of direct collision with aircraft.
On February 17, 2026, the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year), two illegal UAV incidents were recorded, forcing 17 flights to hold, one to divert to an alternate airport, and 15 to delay departure.
On February 22, 2026, the sixth day of Tet, two further incidents involving UAVs or similar flying objects caused 18 flights to hold, four to divert, and 14 to delay departure.
In total, more than 50 flights were affected, disrupting operations, causing significant economic losses, and posing a serious threat to aviation safety during the peak travel period. — Vietnam News/ANN
