Germany’s Munich Airport has reopened following the disruption caused by multiple drone sightings late Thursday, which forced the grounding of at least 17 flights and affected nearly 3,000 passengers. Another 15 flights were diverted to nearby cities, including Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt.
On Friday, a spokesperson for German flag carrier Lufthansa confirmed, “Flight operations have since resumed according to schedule,” reassuring travelers stranded by the unexpected closure.
Authorities have not confirmed the origin of the drones, and no details about their type or size have been released. Federal Police spokesperson Stefan Bayer told the Bild newspaper that the drones were first spotted at 21:30 local time (19:30 GMT) and reappeared an hour later.
The airport had suspended departing flights and closed two hours earlier than its usual midnight to 05:00 curfew. “Nineteen Lufthansa flights were affected, either cancelled or rerouted, because of the airport suspension,” the airline said. Thousands of passengers spent the night at the airport, where camp beds, blankets, drinks, and snacks were provided.
The incident comes amid a series of unusual drone sightings across Europe, which recently prompted a leaders’ summit in Copenhagen. In separate events, 20 Russian drones crossed into Poland and Russian MiG-31 jets entered Estonian airspace. Copenhagen and Oslo airports also temporarily closed after unidentified drones were spotted near airports and military zones.
Russia has denied involvement, and Danish authorities said there was no evidence Moscow was connected to the drone activity. Speaking at a summit in Sochi, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed claims of responsibility, saying, “I won’t do it again. I won’t do it again not to France or Denmark or Copenhagen.”
Munich is currently hosting the annual Oktoberfest festival, which attracts more than six million visitors annually. The festival had already paused for half a day on Wednesday after a bomb scare, and the overnight airport closure added further disruption for tourists and locals.
Authorities continue to investigate the drone sightings as flights return to normal, highlighting ongoing security concerns in European airspace.
Erizia Rubyjeana
Follow us on:
