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Flights resumed at Munich Airport on Friday after several drone sightings forced its closure overnight, marking the latest in a series of drone-related disruptions across Europe.
Airports in Denmark, Norway, and Poland have recently halted flights due to unidentified drones, while Romania and Estonia have accused Russia of involvement — allegations Moscow has denied.
Munich closed its airspace on Thursday night after multiple drone sightings, leading to over 30 flights being cancelled or diverted and leaving around 3,000 passengers stranded. Flights restarted early Friday, with departures resuming at about 5:50 am (0350 GMT).
Lufthansa confirmed that operations were back to normal, although 19 of its flights were affected by cancellations or rerouting.
Police said drones were seen near the airport at around 1930 GMT and again an hour later, prompting a one-hour runway shutdown. The airport provided camp beds, blankets, and refreshments for stranded passengers.
Authorities have launched an investigation to trace the origin of the drones, deploying police helicopters, though details about the number and type of drones remain unknown.
The disruption came just before Germany’s Unity Day holiday and the final weekend of Oktoberfest, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors daily. The festival had already been disrupted earlier in the week by a bomb scare.
Drone incidents in Denmark and reported aerial incursions by Russia in Estonia and Poland have intensified fears that the war in Ukraine could spread beyond its borders.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow appeared intent on escalating its aggression.
Germany reported a swarm of drones flying over military and industrial sites last week, prompting Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to call for new measures — including the possible shooting down of drones.
Denmark also issued a security warning, with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen naming Russia as Europe’s main threat.
Moscow rejected the accusations, with President Vladimir Putin accusing Europe of fuelling “hysteria” to justify increased defence spending.
EU leaders met in Copenhagen this week to discuss creating a “drone wall” to bolster security, with Denmark accepting Sweden’s offer of anti-drone technology for the summit.
The United States has also sent anti-drone systems to Denmark, while NATO said it has stepped up surveillance in the Baltic region following recent airspace breaches.
