Aer Lingus crew reports drone about 20 meters from aircraft near Dublin

An Aer Lingus crew told air traffic controllers that a suspected drone passed about 20 meters, roughly 65 feet, from their aircraft on Saturday evening. The flight was descending toward Dublin Airport at the time.

The encounter happened over Dublin Bay near Howth at around 3,200 feet. The crew described the object as red in colour.

AirNav Ireland, which provides air traffic control services in Irish airspace, passed the report to police and other authorities. Controllers also alerted aircraft on the same approach behind the Aer Lingus flight.

One of those crews chose a different approach. Four other aircraft then flew the original route without reporting any further sightings.

Irish police have begun an investigation, and Aer Lingus said it knew about the report. The episode was the second drone sighting reported by an aircraft approaching Dublin in under two weeks. On Sept. 8, another Aer Lingus crew reported a suspected drone near Dublin Bay, at about 6,000 feet.

Irish rules generally cap drones flown in the open category at 120 meters, or about 400 feet, above the ground. Operators must also follow geographical zones and other airspace restrictions. Additional drone restrictions were in force around Dublin over the weekend because of Ireland's presidency of the Council of the European Union, according to a Garda notice.