Munich Airport has resumed its flight operations following a temporary suspension caused by suspected drone sightings, marking the second such incident within a 24-hour period. The airport had halted all air traffic on Friday evening at 20:30 GMT, affecting approximately 6,500 travelers. This disruption follows a similar event on Thursday evening, which led to the grounding of at least 17 flights due to drone activity near the airport’s airspace.
The airport has advised passengers to continue monitoring their flight statuses before heading to the airport, as delays are anticipated throughout the day. This series of events underscores a broader trend of drone-related disruptions to aviation across Europe in recent weeks.
In a related development, authorities in Belgium are investigating the sighting of 15 drones over the Elsenborn military site near the German border. These drones were reportedly observed by German police in Düren, western Germany, after flying from Belgium. The origin and operators of these drones remain unidentified.
Germany’s Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, plans to address the issue of anti-drone defenses at a meeting of European interior ministers. He has also indicated a move to expedite legislation that would allow police to request military intervention, including shooting down drones, when necessary.
These incidents have amplified discussions at a European leaders’ summit in Copenhagen, which focused on strengthening drone detection and interception capabilities. Several EU member states are supporting the concept of a “drone wall” to combat aerial threats. Recent incursions into Polish and Estonian airspace by Russian drones and jets have further heightened security concerns.
While Russia denies involvement in these drone sightings, Danish authorities have found no evidence to link Moscow to the incidents. Despite these denials, German officials like Chancellor Friedrich Merz have suggested a potential Russian connection to the escalating airspace incursions.