SINGAPORE, Jan 23 - Singapore closed its commercial airspace for almost an hour on Tuesday as fighter jets scrambled to intercept a small plane headed towards the city-state without permission, the Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday.
The Defence Ministry said two Republic of Singapore Air Force planes took off around 6:45 p.m. local time to intercept a single-engine turboprop Cessna 208 and escort it to land at the Changi Airport.
Police have started an investigation, local media reported.
The closure of commercial airspace for about 50 minutes affected 23 aircraft, disrupting flights in and out of Changi Airport, a Civil Aviation Authority spokeswoman told Reuters.
She said 16 incoming flights and six departing aircraft were delayed for between 15 and 40 minutes each. Another inbound aircraft was diverted to Senai Airport in neighbouring Malaysia, she said.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080123/tap-singapore-plane-c3bb44c.htmlRSAF jets scramble to intercept civilian aircraft
Airspace shut down for 50 minutes after plane heads here without approved flight plan
By Teh Joo Lin & David BoeySINGAPORE'S airspace was shut down temporarily last night when two air force F16 jets were scrambled to intercept a civilian plane heading here without an approved flight plan.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) fighter jets went into action at 6.42pm, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef). They intercepted the single-engine turboprop Cessna 208 and escorted it to land at Changi Airport.
The plane 'was heading towards Singapore airspace without an approved flight plan', said Mindef spokesman Darius Lim.
Once the Cessna 208 landed, the police took over investigations.
It is believed the civilian plane, which typically seats nine passengers, was flying in from the Thai resort island of Koh Samui when it triggered Singapore's air defences.
The resulting shutdown of commercial airspace affected 23 aircraft, disrupting flights in and out of Changi Airport.
The shut down lasted for 50 minutes from 7.10pm until 8pm, a Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore spokesman told The Straits Times.
She added that 16 incoming flights and six departing aircraft were delayed for between 15 and 40 minutes each.
One more inbound aircraft was diverted to Senai Airport in Johor. A passenger on the flight was 34-year-old business executive Philip Koh, who was flying in from Brunei.
His flight was due to touch down at Changi Airport at 8pm, but just before its final approach, the pilot informed passengers that the plane could not land because of an 'interception due to unidentified aircraft'.
The plane was diverted to Senai and stayed on the tarmac at the airport for about an hour, said Mr Koh. The plane finally arrived at Changi Airport at about 9.45pm.
Contacted last night, Singapore Airlines said there were short delays to a few departing flights between 7.30pm and 8pm because the airline was waiting for take-off clearances.
This is not the first time the air force has been called into action. In August 2003, two RSAF jets intercepted a Portuguese-registered civilian aircraft that breached Singapore's airspace.
The pilot, whose plane had run into electrical problems, tried to land at Tengah Airbase before two A4 Skyhawks were scrambled alongside it.
Under escort, the Cessna plane later landed safely at Seletar Airport. The 61-year-old pilot was questioned by the police before he was released.
Aviation experts said that following the Sept 11, 2001, attacks, the RSAF operates an enhanced air defence against airborne terrorist threats, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Air forces the world over have been wary of copycat attacks by terrorists commandeering planes as 'guided missiles'.
Colonel Lim said: 'The RSAF continues to maintain a high state of readiness.'
http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_199000.html
