Flights at Munich Airport in Germany have resumed following a temporary suspension caused by unverified drone sightings for the second time within a single day. The airport announced on Friday evening that operations were halted at 21:30 local time (20:30 GMT), impacting approximately 6,500 travelers.
The previous evening, at least 17 flights were grounded due to multiple reports of drones in the airspace surrounding Munich, marking a significant disruption in aviation activities.
Gradual resumption of flights amid ongoing delays
As operations resumed on Saturday morning, Munich Airport indicated that flights would be gradually increasing, although officials cautioned passengers to expect potential delays throughout the day. In a notice posted on its website, the airport urged travelers to verify the status of their flights prior to heading to the terminal.
On Thursday, Belgian authorities were also investigating the sighting of 15 drones above the Elsenborn military site, located near the German border. Reports suggest that these drones traveled from Belgium into Germany, where they were subsequently spotted by police in the small town of Düren.
“I won’t do it again. I won’t do it again – not to France or Denmark or Copenhagen,” Putin said.
Calls for enhanced drone defense measures
Officials have yet to determine the origin of the drones or the identities of those operating them. In response to the growing concerns surrounding drone activity, Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has announced plans to address the issue of anti-drone defenses at a meeting of European interior ministers, initially scheduled to discuss migration.
Earlier on Friday, Dobrindt expressed his commitment to expedite proposed legislation that would empower police to request military intervention in shooting down drones.
Recent drone sightings across the European Union have prompted urgent discussions among leaders, including a summit held in Copenhagen earlier this week. Several EU member states are considering the development of a multi-layered “drone wall” intended to swiftly detect, track, and eliminate any unauthorized drones, particularly in the context of heightened tensions with Russia.
Incidents of unauthorized drone activity have escalated, including the crossing of twenty Russian drones into Polish airspace and the incursion of Russian MiG-31 jets into Estonia. Furthermore, both Copenhagen and Oslo airports were temporarily closed due to unidentified drones detected near military and civil airspace.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz remarked before the summit that the frequency of airspace violations is increasing, suggesting a likelihood that the drones may be originating from Russia. However, Russia has categorically denied any involvement, and Danish authorities have stated that there is no evidence implicating Moscow in these incidents.