Two planes likely hit by drones: Transport Ministry

An Airbus 321 of budget airline Vietjet Air flying from Saigon to Phu Quoc in Kien Giang Province on October 16 had a dented nose cone when it landed and there was no sign of a bird hitting the plane. No hail storm had happened during the flight, the plane's captain said.

Another aircraft, a Boeing B737 of South Korean airline Tway Air, was also found with a dented nose cone on landing in Saigon on September 19.

As there was no sign of birds hitting the planes in both cases, there is a possibility that the planes were hit by unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), said a report sent from the ministry to Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh recently.

Binh said all localities should more closely monitor the production, sale and approval of drones to prevent collision with aircraft.

Aviation authorities said they were investigating both incidents.