Spain closes airspace as out-of-control Chinese rocket debris flies over
300 flights delayed as rocket parts pass through atmosphere and crash into Pacific Ocean
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Hundreds of flights were disrupted on Friday as Spain closed the airspace over several cities while remnants of a Chinese rocket passed overhead before crashing into the sea off Mexico.
National airport operator Aena said 300 flights were delayed due to air traffic restrictions that were imposed for half an hour at 9.38am.
A large part of the Long March 5B (CZ-5B) rocket, which took the third module of China’s Tiangong space station into space four days ago, broke up as it re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere.
Its projected possible path took it over Spain, forcing authorities to move aircraft to reduce the risk of a collision.
Spain’s air navigation authority, Enaire, imposed restrictions on the airspace over northeastern parts of the country, including Catalonia and the Balearic islands.
In a statement, it said: “Given the uncontrolled entry of remains from the Chinese space object CZ-5B in a descending orbit crossing our national territory, Enaire, in accordance with the recommendations of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the inter-ministerial directorates led by the Department of National Security, established an airspace exclusion zone of 100km on either side of the orbit of the space object.”
China Manned Space Agency said remnants from CZ-5B re-entered the atmosphere at 10.08am, with most of them burning up and the rest touching down in the Pacific Ocean at a point 620 miles southwest of Acapulco.
It was the fourth flight of the Long March 5B since its maiden launch in May 2020.
On its first deployment, fragments of the rocket’s boosters landed on the Ivory Coast, damaging several buildings in the west African nation, though no injuries were reported.
Debris from the second flight landed harmlessly in the Indian Ocean, while remnants from the third fell into the Sulu sea in the Philippines.
Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, speaking during a regular briefing on Friday, said a rocket’s re-entry into the atmosphere was a common international practice, when asked if China had taken measures to reduce the risks.
Zhao said the probability of causing harm to aviation activities and the ground was “extremely low”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments