Safe Airspace – Conflict Zone and Risk Database

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There was an Israeli airstrike on OYSN/Sanaa airport today, May 6, in response to a missile attack on LLBG/Tel Aviv on May 4. There’s been no official announcement, but damage to the airport looks to be severe. There have been no commercial flights taking place here since previous Israeli airstrikes back in Dec 2024, which caused extensive damage to the control tower and terminal buildings. Yemen remains an active conflict zone, and the vast majority of Yemeni airspace (OYSC/Sanaa FIR) should be avoided.

A ballistic missile fired by the Houthis hit near LLBG/Tel Aviv yesterday, close to Terminal 3. Flights were briefly suspended, some international airlines canceled operations, but the airport reopened about an hour later and things are mostly back to normal. There were no fatalities, though several people were treated for minor injuries. The Houthis claimed responsibility and warned airlines to avoid the area. This was their fourth missile aimed at Israel in 48 hours, though the others were intercepted. The Israeli government has promised a response, and the situation in the region remains tense, so it’s a good idea to monitor updates if you have upcoming operations in or out of LLBG/Tel Aviv.

Member report: After clearing customs and immigration at MMSD, a crew member was called into the AFAC office despite all paperwork being completed. Officials requested they transport a bag containing prescription medication back to the US. The crew member immediately refused. The situation appeared staged, possibly as an integrity test or trap. Crews should be aware that accepting unknown items could lead to serious consequences, including criminal charges or aircraft seizure. Always politely decline, request written confirmation and avoid handling anything you have not personally verified.

Al-Shabaab carried out another mortar attack on a target inside the airport complex on April 6. No damage to airport infrastructure was reported, but it was the third attack in as many months. These have renewed concerns for the safety of civil aircraft there. The Somali Government has previously warned militant groups may actively target aviation interests. This is an important consideration for overflights using the Class A airspace above in the event of an unplanned landing. Safeairspace.net has more info.

China is carrying out a new wave of joint military drills in the waters surrounding Taiwan. This appears to be a response to recent political events. Large numbers of aircraft have reportedly been operating inside Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the past 24 hours - there have been no reports of incursions in domestic airspace. Increased military activity can put civil aircraft at extra risk - it’s a timely reminder to review the ADIZ procedures for Taiwanese airspace (attached).

Member Report: Large balloons above Sao Paulo are pretty common, especially around this time of year. There’s a group of artists in the area who create and launch them, some are several meters wide. The launches, which aren’t legal, seem to happen mainly on Sundays during Lent, and balloons have been spotted as high as FL150. Crews have even had to take evasive action at times, but SBGR ATC seems indifferent to PIREPs since they can’t really track or control the balloons. Despite the obvious risk, there are no Notams or ATIS warnings about them. There’s even been one report of an engine ingestion.

The US and South Korea are carrying out their annual joint military exercise Freedom Shield from March 10-21. North Korea perceives this as a threat, and historically responds with unannounced missile tests - the latest reported on March 10 with several landing in the sea of Japan. GPS interference is also likely - the RKRR/Incheon FIR has a long standing warning for this, which can affect ops at Seoul airports RKSS and RKSI and extend into the Yellow Sea. See safeairspace.net for a full briefing on known risks.

A crew reports GPS interference (possible spoofing) on Feb 5 in Eastern DRC. The event occurred westbound on airway UM216 near position OVPAP - 5nm southeast of Goma, and continued for approx 200nm. Fighting in the area has rapidly escalated in recent weeks - including an ongoing rebel offensive in Goma itself. Any loss of navigation should be taken seriously at the moment due to a high risk of misidentification. Both the UK and Canada advise against overflights below FL250 and FL260 respectively due to potential for anti-aircraft fire. Safeairspace.net has more.

Rebel forces have now entered Goma - the capital of North Kivu Province (Eastern DRC). Heavy gunfire is being reported in the city. They have declared that FZNA/Goma and its airspace are now closed - no new Notams have been published yet. The UK is the only state with an active airspace warning for this region. It advises operators not to enter the airspace along the border between Congo DRC and Rwanda near FZNA/Goma airport below 25,000ft AGL, due to the potential risk from anti-aircraft fire. Safeairspace.net has a full briefing.

An Embraer passenger jet was likely struck by an air defense system while on approach to URMG/Grozny (Southern Russia) on Dec 25. It later diverted and crash landed in Kazakhstan after sustaining heavy damage. This event occurred during Ukrainian drone strikes in the area, and strongly suggests a case of mis-identification. The majority of western operators remain subject to a reciprocal entry ban from Russian airspace. For those still using it, several airspace warnings exist for the URRV/Rostov FIR where the incident occurred. This is due to significant spill-over risks to civil aviation from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. An investigation into the incident is underway.

An OPSGROUP member reports further GPS interference (likely spoofing) in the north of the VYYF/Yangon FIR on Dec 20. The event occurred approx. 100nm east of APAGO on the B465 airway at FL430. Map shift observed on auxiliary ipad before aircraft GPS systems failed. This was followed by the activation of a GPWS Pull Up warning for a full five minutes. All systems returned to normal by APAGO. We’ve had a number of similar reports from this region in recent months. Look out for Myanmar overflights between China and Bangladesh.

A US military jet was shot down over the Red Sea in a friendly fire incident on December 22. It was apparently a case of mistaken identity by a naval ship being used to target multiple Houthi drones in the area. This follows a missile intercept incident observed at close proximity by a transiting aircraft near Jeddah on November 3. The Red Sea has been an active conflict zone for the past 12 months, and these events highlight ongoing risks to civil aviation through this busy corridor. See the Special Briefing available in your member’s dashboard for more info (Special Briefings, Red Sea Conflict Zone).

Nuisance drones continue to be sighted over New York and New Jersey. The FAA has reported that KSWF/Stewart was closed for an hour on Dec 13 after several infringed its airspace. It’s still not clear who is responsible, and an active FBI investigation continues. So far, impact to civil air traffic has been minimal. The FAA requires approval for any drone to be operated in controlled airspace, or above 400’ AGL in Class G. If you spot one breaking these rules, report it to ATC and via the attached website.

Russia carried out a large-scale missile and drone attack on targets in Ukraine on Dec 13. This caused some alarm, and air defence systems were put on high alert near Poland’s southeastern border. Military jets were also scrambled to the area, and there are conflicting reports of possible airspace infringements. Spill-over risks from the conflict continue to be present in Polish airspace where there are no active warnings - we continue to advise caution if operating near its border with the conflict zone in Ukraine.

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