A drone loaded with explosives and of unknown origin crashed without causing damage a few days ago near Bogotá’s El Dorado international airport and the adjoining Catam military base, the Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC, in Spanish) reported Thursday.
The commander of Catam, Brigadier General John Henry López, said intelligence reports allowed the FAC to pinpoint the exact location of the drone’s remnants, which fell in the south of the Colombian capital, approximately six kilometers (3.7 miles) from the airport, according to local media.
“This device contained explosives and unconventional modifications to be guided by fiber optic cable,” the officer stated. He added that operations have been launched with all military air units operating at El Dorado, including the FAC, the Army, the Navy, and the National Police, to protect the terminal’s facilities.
Since April 2024, when guerrilla groups began using explosive-laden drones to attack military and police units in rural areas, more than 400 attacks with such devices have been recorded. One of those attacks killed seven soldiers and left 30 others wounded on December 18 of last year near the town of Aguachica in the department of Cesar (northeast).
“This type of threat is also present in cities,” the general warned, asking citizens to report any suspicious drone activity.
Last month, two separate drone incidents near El Dorado’s perimeter forced the Civil Aviation Authority (Aerocivil) to suspend air operations for about half an hour each time; neither incident escalated further.
Author: Victor Miranda
Source: agencies
0 Comentarios