On August 28, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Security Investigation Agency launched a criminal investigation, initiated proceedings against Than Van Tan, born in 1984 and a resident of Tan Binh Ward, and placed him in pre-trial detention on allegations of obstructing air traffic.

According to the initial investigation, at around 7:40 p.m. on August 13, Regional Air Operations Center III under Air Force Division 370 notified the Southern Airports Authority that a flying object had been detected in the direction of Tham Luong Bridge, covering parts of Tay Thanh, Dong Hung Thuan and Binh Hung Hoa wards.

The area is subject to flight bans and restrictions related to operations at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The Southern Airports Authority immediately coordinated with Ho Chi Minh City police, the Ho Chi Minh City Command, border-gate police and Tan Son Nhat International Airport to investigate the incident. The airport temporarily stopped accepting incoming aircraft to ensure aviation safety.

By 8:15 p.m. the same day, authorities had recovered the kites, determined that the threat to flight safety had been removed and allowed airport operations to resume.

Kite flying disrupts 16 flights

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Investigators question Than Van Tan. Photo: CACC

At around 8 p.m., police found Than Van Tan flying a kite fitted with flashing lights on a road under construction as part of the Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len Canal project in Binh Hung Hoa Ward. Tan and two other people at the scene were taken to a police station for questioning.

Tan told police that on the afternoon of August 13, he had brought three kites fitted with flashing lights to fly at a vacant site belonging to a metro station project in Dong Hung Thuan Ward and near a bridge in Binh Hung Hoa Ward.

Authorities determined from the coordinates that all the locations where Tan flew the kites were within an area where unmanned aircraft and ultralight flying vehicles are prohibited.

According to police, Tan’s actions directly forced the airport to temporarily stop accepting aircraft, affecting 16 flights to and from Tan Son Nhat and causing estimated losses of billions of Vietnamese dong.

Ho Chi Minh City police warned residents not to fly kites, balloons or sky lanterns, or operate flying devices such as camera drones and other drones, within restricted airspace.

Authorities said violations that threaten aviation safety will be dealt with strictly and may result in criminal prosecution. Residents who spot unusual flying objects around airport areas are urged to immediately notify the nearest police agency so authorities can respond promptly.

Dam De