Abuse of airspace concerns MPs

 THE Government will not allow any more incursions, unregistered and unauthorised use of the country’s airspace, Civil Aviation Minister Steven Davis told Parliament yesterday.

He said this in response to several queries raised by MPs that several flights were spotted in the PNG airspace by unauthorised planes.

Last Friday, Morobe Governor Kelly Naru raised concerns that an unregistered and unauthorised light aircraft operating in the province almost caused an air collision.

Yesterday morning Milne Bay Governor Titus Philemon said his people in Milne Bay had spotted unidentified and suspicious aircraft landing and flying low over their islands on odd hours.

He asked if the authorities were aware and what control mechanisms were in place to deter the abuse of PNG airspace.

Davis said they would take measures to prosecute offenders for abuse of airspace.

He said investigations into the incident involving a light aircraft in Morobe found that the plane was not registered in PNG but in Australia.

“We will not allow this to happen. We will ensure our airspace is monitored as our airspace has been used illegally,” Davis said.