Munich airport resumes flights after second suspension due to drone alert
European countries are alarmed after Denmark and Norway also closed airports last week after detecting the presence of drones.
Passengers waiting at a European airport (file).
(AFP) Munich airport in southern Germany, "progressively" resumed flights Saturday, but delays are expected after it closed for a second consecutive night on Friday due to a drone alert, following several similar incidents around Europe.
European countries are alarmed after Denmark and Norway closed airports last week after detecting the presence of drones.
These disruptions stoked tension stemming from the war in Ukraine after Poland and Romania denounced drone intrusions in September and Estonia claimed three Russian fighter jets violated its airspace.
Russia denies involvement, but the EU proposed a plan to implement an anti-drone "wall" following the events.
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Munich: 23 flights diverted and 12 canceled
"As of 21H30 air traffic was restricted and subsequently canceled due to the drone sighting," Munich airport reported Friday, causing 23 inbound flights to be diverted and 12 with that destination to be canceled.
Another 46 takeoffs had to be canceled or delayed through Saturday, affecting a total of 6,500 passengers.
A police spokesman told AFP there were "two confirmed drone sightings simultaneously by police patrols shortly before 23H00, around the north and south runways."
"The drones immediately flew away before they could be identified," he added.
"As on the previous night, the airport, in collaboration with the airlines, quickly provided supplies to passengers in the terminals. Cots were set up, along with blankets, beverages and coolers," the airport said.
When was the first drone disruption in German space?
The incident began at 20H30 local time, when police reported drone sightings in areas near the airport, including the towns of Freising and Erding.
Erding is home to an airfield used by the German military. German newspaper Bild noted that some of the drones were seen flying over these facilities, although police did not confirm this.
The first drones near the airport perimeter were seen around 21H05 Thursday, and an hour later over the airport complex. The sightings ended around midnight.
Police helicopters were deployed, but "no information is available on the type or number of drones," police said.
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High alert in Germany
On Friday morning, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt called Thursday's incident a "warning call" about the threat posed by drones.
"The race between the threat of drones and the defense against them is becoming increasingly difficult," he told Bild, adding that "more funding and research" on the issue is "urgently needed" at the national and European level.
The German government is expected to approve planes on Wednesday to amend the law to allow the military to shoot down drones, if necessary. Media in Germany said the devices even flew over military and industrial sites.
The 27 states of the EU bloc met last Thursday in Copenhagen and discussed the plan to bolster defense with a "drone wall."
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