A joint operation between the Armed Forces, the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) and the Federal Highway Police (PRF) destroyed an aircraft on the ground and arrested two men on a clandestine runway for illegal mining, inside the Indigenous Land Yanomami, in Roraima, last Thursday night (6). It was the first policing action after the airspace over the reserve was closed.
Airspace in the Yanomami Indigenous Land was again closed just last Thursday. Before, the forecast for the resumption of closure was for May 6, but the measure was brought forward to speed up the departure of illegal miners who are still in the region.
The airspace had already been initially closed on February 1st, shortly after the government started a humanitarian operation in favor of the Yanomami people, and reopened on the 12th of the same month to allow the coordinated and spontaneous departure of gold prospectors who work illegally in the region. Control will be carried out by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).
identification zone
According to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), an Air Defense Identification Zone (ZIDA) was established in the airspace of Yanomami land, with the prohibition of air traffic, with the exception of military aircraft or those at the service of public agencies involved in the Yanomami Operation , provided they are previously submitted to the flight authorization process.
Aircraft that fail to comply with the rules established in areas determined by the Air Force are subject to airspace policing measures (MPEA), which range from aircraft identification, route change requests and mandatory landing to warning shots and the so-called detention, which are shots with the purpose of causing damage and preventing the offending aircraft from continuing its flight.
