Was the Changi Airport otter video filmed in a protected area? Police looking into matter

SINGAPORE: Police are looking into videos circulating online that may have been taken from within a protected area at Changi Airport.

Photography and filming are not allowed within such protected areas at the airport unless authorised, the police said on Friday (Dec 1) in response to queries from Channel NewsAsia.

On Wednesday, photos and videos of a Singapore Airlines plane on the tarmac in Changi Airport began circulating on social media. The front of the Boeing 777-200 passenger plane was covered in black soot after a tow tug caught fire as it was pulling the plane to a departure gate at around 4am that day.

Earlier in November, an otter family was filmed on the tarmac.

The police said they are aware of these videos. 

“The police are aware of videos circulating online that may have been taken from within the apron of the airport, and are looking into the matter,” a police spokesperson said.

The protected area where photography and filming are prohibited, called the “apron” by the International Civil Aviation Organization, refers to a defined area intended to accommodate aircraft for purposes of loading or unloading passengers, mail or cargo, baggage, fuelling, parking or maintenance. It also covers the baggage sorting area.

“There are warning signs which can be found before the entrance to the apron, informing all persons on this prohibition,” the police spokesperson added.

Channel NewsAsia had earlier reached out to Changi Airport Group (CAG) for comment on the videos and to find out if they were taken in a secure area. CAG was also asked if it has any policies on the dissemination of such videos.

Under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act, anyone found guilty of “Failure to Comply with Directions to Regulate Conduct in a Protected Place” may face a fine of up to S$1,000, a maximum jail term of two years, or both.