- Unauthorized drone sightings halted airport operations twice at Tan Son Nhat on August eleventh, twenty twenty-six.
- The disruption affected seventy-three total flights, leading to twenty-seven diversions and dozens of aerial delays.
- Authorities are investigating potential launch points in surrounding districts while enforcing strict no-fly zone penalties.
Tan Son Nhat International Airport stopped all takeoffs and landings twice on August 11, 2026, after unauthorized UAV sightings disrupted the evening peak in Ho Chi Minh City. The airport’s flight suspensions lasted 48 minutes and 54 minutes, leaving dozens of aircraft diverted, held or delayed.
The first halt ran from 6:28 p.m. to 7:16 p.m. The second began at 7:40 p.m. and ended at 8:34 p.m., creating a disruption window of roughly 2 hours and 6 minutes.
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The airport activated emergency procedures and air traffic flow management measures. The response aimed to limit delays spreading through Vietnam’s busiest aviation hub.
The event followed reports from flight crews and the control tower. A senior official at the Southern Air Traffic Management Corporation described it as the first time a UAV had entered the restricted airspace around the airport.
Nguyễn Công Hoàn, deputy director of the airport, confirmed that normal operations resumed at 8:34 p.m. He said the duty chief received the first control-tower alert during the evening.
"The airport's duty chief received information from the air traffic control tower at 6:16 PM about a UAV sighting. Normal flight operations resumed at 8:34 PM."
The first report came at 5:34 p.m. from the crew of Vietjet flight VJ601, arriving from Cam Ranh. The crew placed the UAV about 10 miles from the airport at an altitude of 3,000 feet.
A second report came from flight 3S621, traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. Its crew reported a UAV at 1,800 feet, about 500 meters to the right of the Boeing 777 shortly after takeoff. The aircraft carried registration DAALQ, and the report came at 6:14 p.m.
Another sighting followed at about 7:34 p.m. The object appeared 3km west-southwest of the airport, prompting the second halt.
Authorities reopened the airport after determining that the UAV was no longer active in the area. A senior air traffic official said operations resumed at 8:30 p.m., while Hoàn’s airport timeline recorded normal operations at 8:34 p.m.
Flight counts rose as authorities assessed diversions and delays
The disruption affected aircraft in several ways. An initial official count put the number at 22 flights, while another update cited 60. A later tally from the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation said 73 flights were directly affected.
The updates reflected different categories of disruption rather than a single fixed passenger total.
| Operational effect | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Flights in an earlier official count | 22 |
| Flights in a later update | 60 |
| Flights diverted in that update | 23 |
| Flights held in the air | 18 |
| Flights held on the ground | 16 |
| Flights directly affected in the later tally | 73 |
| Flights placed in aerial holding patterns | 50+ |
| Flights diverted to alternate airports in the later account | 27 |
| Departure slots reassigned | 71 |
Alternate airports included Can Tho and Buon Ma Thuot. Air traffic managers reassigned 71 departure slots to regulate the flow of incoming aircraft.
Vietnam Airlines confirmed that 12 of its flights had to wait or divert. Vietjet Air and Sun PhuQuoc Airways also reported disruption to their evening peak schedules.
Passengers experienced the delays differently. Tram, traveling from Da Nang, said her flight arrived after 10:30 PM following a delay of more than three hours.
"The airline told us the airport had temporarily stopped accepting incoming flights. By the time we landed, it was after 10:30 PM. My elderly mother and young child were both exhausted."
Mr. Hoang Viet traveled on flight VJ377 from Chu Lai. His aircraft diverted to Buon Ma Thuot, and he arrived nearly two hours late.
"Such a delay affects my work and schedule quite a lot. Things that have been arranged in advance must be changed."
The next-day review examined detection and the drone’s launch point
Authorities held a high-level review meeting on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, one day after the disruption. Military and police units began investigating where the drone may have been launched.
The units included Division 367, Division 370 and the Ho Chi Minh City Command. Officials also examined the airport’s ability to “detect and track” UAVs.
The review called for stricter enforcement of no-fly zones in the surrounding Tan Binh and Go Vap districts. An airport representative described the response as the first recorded nearby drone sighting.
"The coordination among agencies in responding to the incident was unprecedented, as this was the first recorded drone sighting in the airport's [immediate] vicinity. Fortunately, all flights were handled safely thanks to close coordination."
The Airports Corporation of Vietnam warned that a small recreational aircraft could threaten an airliner if it enters a restricted area.
"A flycam or drone, although small, when appearing in the wrong place and at the wrong time, can become a direct threat to the safety of the aircraft. ACV recommends that people absolutely do not use unmanned aerial vehicles in no-fly zones."
Other Vietnamese airports have faced UAV disruptions in 2026
The latest drone intrusion followed several airport incidents across Vietnam. Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi suspended departures for nearly an hour on June 6, 2026, after a drone report affected 28 flights.
At Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong, 4 flights diverted on March 15, 2026, because of a suspected drone. Da Nang International Airport recorded multiple incursions from Sept 2025 – Feb 2026, including a major disruption on the first day of the Lunar New Year, February 17, 2026.
| Airport | Date or period | Reported effect |
|---|---|---|
| Noi Bai Airport, Hanoi | June 6, 2026 | Departures suspended for nearly an hour; 28 flights affected |
| Cat Bi Airport, Hai Phong | March 15, 2026 | 4 flights diverted after a suspected drone |
| Da Nang International Airport | Sept 2025 – Feb 2026 | Multiple incursions, including a disruption on February 17, 2026 |
The latest incident interrupted both arrivals and departures during the evening peak. Its operational effects continued after movements resumed, as airlines and air traffic authorities processed diversions, holding patterns, ground delays and reassigned slots.
The first report came from an arriving Vietjet crew, while the later sighting occurred near the airport’s western side. Investigators are examining the launch point and the surrounding districts.
The review is continuing after the Wednesday meeting. Authorities’ next focus is whether the airport can detect and track another UAV before it reaches an approach or departure corridor.
