US FAA prohibits operators from flying over some Iran-controlled airspace
The US Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday issued an
emergency order prohibiting US operators from flying in an overwater area of
Tehran-controlled airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman due
to heightened tensions.
In a separate advisory to operators, FAA said according to
flight tracking applications, the nearest civil aircraft was operating within
around 45 nautical miles of a US Global Hawk drone when it was shot down by an
Iranian surface-to-air missile this week.
“There were numerous civil aviation aircraft operating in
the area at the time of the intercept,” FAA said.
The agency said it remained concerned about the escalation
of tension and military activity within close proximity to high volume civil
aircraft routes as well as Iran’s willingness to use long-range missiles in
international airspace with little or no warning.
