British Airways jet narrowly avoids collision with unidentified object

A British Airways Boeing 777 carrying over 250 passengers narrowly avoided a collision with a mysterious object while climbing from London Heathrow to New York. The incident occurred on June 24 at an altitude of 5,800 feet over Guildford, Surrey.

The pilot reported a shiny, silver, metallic object that moved very quickly in the opposite direction. The object was described as being approximately the ‘size of four toasters’ and passed within 50 feet of the aircraft’s right wing. While air traffic controllers initially discussed the possibility of a drone, the UK Airprox Board stated they were unable to determine the exact nature of the object due to the reported altitude and description.

The Airprox Board has launched an official investigation into the near-miss, noting that a definite risk of collision existed. This event follows recent reports of the Royal Air Force encountering unidentified drones during military exercises.