Spain Urges Morocco to Modify Drone Operations After Interference Incident
In a recent development, the Spanish government has formally requested that Moroccan authorities adjust the operational altitude of their drones to prevent potential disruptions to commercial flight operations linked to Melilla. This request arose after an incident on the night of September 22, when a Moroccan drone interfered with the landing maneuver of a commercial aircraft at Melilla Airport. According to reports from the Spanish Government Delegation in Melilla, the drone was operating in Moroccan airspace and was engaged in activities similar to those conducted by security forces in Spanish airspace. This incident comes at a time when there has been an increased police presence along the border in response to social media calls for a mass entry into the region.
Sources from the Civil Guard indicated that the drone caused a delay in the landing of an Iberia flight; however, they could not specify the duration of this delay. The airport's control tower promptly reported the incident to the Civil Guard upon detecting the drone's presence. AENA, the airport management company, confirmed that the incident did not impact airport operations, stating that there were no flight cancellations and no need to close Melilla's airspace. This reassurance is crucial as the region frequently experiences challenges such as low cloud cover, which can lead to flight delays and cancellations.
Meanwhile, Miguel Marín, the Vice President of Melilla and the Tourism Minister, expressed disappointment that the local government had not received any information regarding the incident and emphasized the importance of ensuring that such occurrences do not disrupt the air connectivity of the city. The primary aim of Spain’s request to Morocco is to eliminate any interference that drone activities may have on commercial flight operations, especially at an airport where adverse weather conditions have already posed significant operational difficulties. The Ministry of Transport has noted that Moroccan airspace is one of the key challenges affecting the operational efficacy of Melilla Airport.
As reported by rtve.es.
