Flight ban over eight Norwegian prisons

Prison, au pairsPrison: Photo:Pixabay

The Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority has introduced a flight ban over eight maximum level security prisons. The Authority states that prohibitions are introduced for reasons of safety.

The eight prisons the ban includes are; Bergen Prison, Halden Prison, Ringerike Prison, Stavanger Prison, Telemark Prison Skien Department, Trondheim Prison, Romerike Prison Ullersmo Department and Ila Prison and Detention Center in Bærum.

These prisons are used for the custody of inmates and those awaiting sentencing who may be at high risk to society. The ban comes after the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (KDI) contacted the Civil Aviation Authority and reported the need for a ban on aircraft.

The Directorate believes a ban will reduce the risk of drones or other aircraft being used to detect security installations or to smuggle drugs and weapons into prisons.

  • “We have not had many such incidents, but we nevertheless choose to take the initiative to prevent new cases,” says Director Lise Sannerud in KDI.

The flight ban applies from a certain point from the center the prisons and within a radius of 0.5 nautical miles, ie 926 meters.

The creation of the areas with a flight ban means that the affected airspace is closed to all aviation that is not exempt from the restrictions or has been given special permission to fly there.

The ban does not apply to flying in connection with military, police, ambulance, search and rescue missions or exercises on such missions. The regulations came into force on the 1st of January 2019.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today