Munich Airport Shutdown: Drone Sightings Disrupt Thousands of Passengers
Munich Airport faced an overnight shutdown due to multiple drone sightings, causing significant disruption to air travel. This incident follows a series of drone incursions across Europe in recent weeks.
Operations at Munich Airport were suspended around 7:30 p.m. GMT after police spotted drones near the airport. A second sighting an hour later led to the shutdown of both runways. The closure lasted approximately an hour, stranding nearly 3,000 passengers and affecting over 30 flights.
Lufthansa reported that 19 of its flights were either canceled or rerouted, with 17 departing flights grounded and 15 incoming aircraft diverted to other airports such as Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt. This disruption came ahead of German Unity Day and the final weekend of Munich's Oktoberfest, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors daily.
The incident follows a string of drone incursions across Europe, with airports in Denmark, Norway, and Poland also affected. Germany has reported swarms of drones over military and industrial sites, prompting Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to suggest measures like shooting down drones. Authorities launched a search to trace the origin of the drones but provided no details on their type or number. European leaders have linked these incidents to Moscow's war in Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning of Russia's intent to escalate aggression beyond Ukraine's borders.
The overnight shutdown of Munich Airport due to drone sightings highlights the growing concern over drone incursions across Europe. As investigations continue, authorities are exploring measures to counter this threat, with the German military considering anti-drone technology. The disruption caused by this incident serves as a reminder of the potential impact of such incidents on air travel and public safety.
