UK pilot spots mysterious 'flying saucer' just 100 feet from passenger plane near Gatwick Airport; officials say the near miss reduced the aircraft's safety

On 29 April 2026, a pilot of an Airbus A319 approaching London Gatwick Airport reported seeing a disc-shaped object at about 8,500 feet altitude, passing within 100 feet of the aircraft.

The UK Airprox Board investigated the incident, concluding that the near miss reduced the aircraft's safety but posed no actual collision risk.

Radar data and other evidence did not identify the object, which the pilot described as a 'flying saucer'-type suspected drone with darker rim markings.

The sighting occurred over Sussex near the village of Hangcross, about seven miles south of Gatwick, while the plane was turning during landing approach.