Drone alerts shut Munich Airport for second night amid Europe security fears

Munich Airport said normal service resumed early on October 3 (local time) after several drone sightings forced its closure late the previous day, in what is the latest of a series of aviation disruptions across Europe. Photo / Michaela Stache, AFP

Munich Airport was forced to halt operations again late on Friday (local time) over suspected drone sightings, with dozens of flights and more than 6000 passengers affected.

Airports in Denmark, Norway and Poland have recently suspended flights because of unidentified drones, while Romania and Estonia have pointed the finger at Russia, which has brushed off the allegations.

For the second night in a row, Munich Airport said it had to “cancel air traffic” after “unconfirmed drone sightings”.

It said in a statement that “from 9.30pm air traffic was restricted and then cancelled”, meaning 23 incoming flights were diverted and 12 bound for Munich were cancelled.

Forty-six departures had to be cancelled or delayed until Saturday (local time), with a total of 6500 passengers affected.

“As on the previous night, the airport, in collaboration with the airlines, promptly provided supplies for passengers in the terminals. Camp beds were set up, along with blankets, drinks and snacks,” the airport said.

The airport expected service to be resumed as normal at 5am on Saturday.

The initial disruption on Thursday caused more than 30 flights to be cancelled there and left nearly 3000 passengers stranded.

A police spokesman told AFP they were “currently investigating a lead about a possible drone sighting over Munich Airport” on Friday evening.

The first incident began at 8.30pm local time on Thursday when police say drones were spotted in areas close to the airport, including the towns of Freising and Erding.

Erding plays host to an airfield used by the German military. Bild newspaper said some of the drones were spotted flying over the facility, although police could not confirm this.

The first drones near the airport perimeter were seen about 9.05pm on Thursday, and then over the airport complex about an hour later.

The sightings ended around midnight, but not before causing the closure of both runways.

Police helicopters were deployed but “no information is available on the type and number of drones”, police said.

High alert

Earlier on Friday in Germany, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the first night’s incident was a “wake-up call” on the threat from drones.

“The race between the threat from drones and the defence against drones is becoming more and more difficult,” he told Bild, adding that “more financing and research” on the issue was urgently needed at the national and European levels.

The disruptions came as the country celebrated German Unity Day on Friday – a national holiday – and as Munich geared up for the final weekend of Oktoberfest, which draws hundreds of thousands of people to the city every day.

The annual beer gala and fun fair had already closed for half a day on Wednesday local time after a bomb scare.

The German Government is expected to sign off on plans for a change in the law on Wednesday to let the army shoot drones down if necessary.

Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder told Bild “we must be able to shoot (drones) down immediately instead of waiting” and said the police should also have the power to do so.

The drone sightings in Denmark and high-profile aerial incursions in Estonia and Poland have heightened fears Russia’s assault on Ukraine could spill over Europe’s borders.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Europe yesterday that the recent drone incursions showed Moscow was looking to “escalate” its aggression.

Germany is on high alert, saying a swarm of drones had flown over the country last week, including over military and industrial sites.

Denmark also raised the alarm, with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterating last week that only one country “poses a threat to Europe’s security – and that’s Russia”.

Moscow said it “firmly rejects” any suggestion of involvement, with Russian President Vladimir Putin accusing Europe of stoking “hysteria” to justify rising military spending.

– Agence France-Presse