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Flight diverted to Belfast after latest drone sighting at Dublin Airport

A drone sighting at Dublin Airport cause disruption for passengers as flights were diverted on Thursday.
A drone sighting at Dublin Airport cause disruption for passengers as flights were diverted on Thursday. A drone sighting at Dublin Airport cause disruption for passengers as flights were diverted on Thursday.

A passenger plane has been diverted to Belfast after further drone activity was reported at Dublin Airport on Thursday.

The Ryanair flight from the Hungarian capital Budapest was diverted after a drone sighting was reported in the vicinity of Dublin Airport shortly before 6.30pm.

It was one of three flights diverted from Dublin after what the airport described as "reckless and illegal activity".

Since January, there have been six reports of drones that have caused diversions and delays at Dublin Airport.

A spokesperson for the Dublin Airport Authority condemned those behind the drone, and urged the Republic's authorities To do more to prevent further travel chaos for passengers.

"The State should introduce technology to signal-jam or bring down drones safely and increase the maximum sentences for people who fly drones illegally within 5km of Irish airports," the DAA said in a tweet.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary called the latest incident "unacceptable", adding: "Dublin Airport is the most disrupted airport by drones in Europe."

He urged the Republic's transport minister Eamon Ryan to do more to prevent further disruption.

All flight at the airport resumed shortly before 7pm.