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Paraglider Lands in Buckingham Palace Grounds in Apparent Bid for Attention

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

An Australian national, Brett de la Mere, landed his paraglider in the Buckingham Palace grounds on Thursday, drawing attention to his unpublished novel. The incident has sparked an investigation by Scotland Yard to determine if de la Mere will be charged under the Air Navigation Order for endangering the safety of aircraft. The palace area is protected by an air exclusion zone, but paragliding is prohibited in populated areas in Britain.

Key Takeaways:

  • Brett de la Mere, a 35-year-old Australian, landed his paraglider in the Buckingham Palace grounds, sparking an investigation by Scotland Yard.
  • De la Mere is suspected of endangering the safety of aircraft, and police are considering charges under the Air Navigation Order.
  • The palace area is protected by an air exclusion zone, and paragliding is illegal in populated areas in Britain.
  • De la Mere's stunt was an apparent bid to draw attention to his unpublished novel, titled "Canine Dawn."
  • De la Mere claimed on his Web site that he had successfully circled the New York World Trade Center and Empire State building before being caught.
  • De la Mere left a message on his telephone answering machine apologizing for missing calls and stating that he was "incarcerated or something."
  • The incident is the second time in recent years that a flying intruder breached security at the palace.

Statistics:

  • 35: The age of Brett de la Mere.
  • 2: The number of times in recent years that a flying intruder breached security at the palace.
  • 10 minutes: The amount of time that Michael Fagan, who broke into the Queen's bedroom in 1982, chatted with the Queen.
  • 1994: The year that a naked American, Jim Miller, paraglided onto the rooftop of the palace.
  • 1982: The year that Michael Fagan broke into the Queen's bedroom.

Sources:

  • United Press International
  • The British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC)
  • United Press International (again, as a source)
  • No explicit source provided for the incident in 1994; however, the BBC mentions it as part of the historical context.

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