Another drone sighting has forced the airport to close again, this time in Munich, and dozens of flights had to be diverted and canceled on the eve of the national holiday, Reuters reports.
Concerns about the vulnerability of Europe’s critical infrastructure have also been heightened again. The airport resumed operations early on the morning of the 3rd of October. At that time, Reuters observed that only a few canceled flights were visible on the flight list.
The airport reported that drones observed late on the evening of the 2nd of October forced air traffic controllers to make the decision to temporarily suspend airport operations. 17 flights were canceled and the travel plans of almost 3,000 passengers, who were provided with sleeping accommodations and food, changed. 15 incoming flights were diverted to other airports, including Frankfurt and Vienna.
Drones were spotted over the airport late at night. Police said
the size and type of the drones were unknown due to poor visibility in the darkness.
The incident at Munich Airport is the latest in a series of drone sightings that have disrupted air traffic across Europe. Drones of unknown origin entering airport airspace in the second half of September also forced the temporary closure of airports in Copenhagen and Oslo. The incidents at the airports have sparked a sharp reaction from European Union leaders, who agreed to create a common EU defense system against drones at an informal meeting in Copenhagen on the 1st of October. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said after the meeting that Europe must be able to defend itself.
Authorities have not publicly named the perpetrator of the drones over Munich Airport, but some European officials have suggested that Russia was to blame.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on the 1st of October that Russia was probing the EU and trying to sow insecurity in society. Meanwhile, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin “joked” on the 2nd of October that he would no longer fly drones over Denmark. The Kremlin has denied any connection to the incidents at the airports.
The closed airport has further increased tensions in the German city, where the Oktoberfest was also temporarily closed due to bomb threats.
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