Media: Spanish airport shuts down after mysterious drones cause flight chaos

A major British holiday hub was thrown into turmoil on October 27 night after mysterious drones were sighted hovering near the runway at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport in eastern Spain.

Police rushed to the scene as operations were abruptly suspended, forcing nine planes to divert and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded amid confusion and uncertainty. Authorities confirmed that all departures and arrivals had been temporarily halted, The Sun reports.

Local aviation officials announced on social media:

“Due to the presence of a drone in the vicinity of Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, flight diversions are taking place.”

They added: “We are working with law enforcement agencies to return operations to normal as quickly as possible. Check your flight status with your airline.”

According to the statement, flights originating from London, Manchester, Newcastle, Durham, and Frankfurt were among those diverted, with disruptions expected until 11 p.m. local time. Affected planes were rerouted to nearby airports, including Valencia, Murcia, and Palma de Mallorca.

Police have since launched a full investigation into the incident and deployed a specialist aerial unit in an effort to locate the rogue drones.

The scare follows a string of similar disruptions at Spanish airports in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Palma de Mallorca Airport was forced to suspend all operations after a drone was spotted near its runways around 6 p.m. UK time. Several flights were diverted to Ibiza and Menorca as planes circled above the island waiting for clearance to land.

Flight-tracking service FlightRadar24 reported at the time:

“Operations at Palma de Mallorca Airport are currently suspended because of a drone in the airspace.”

Passengers described scenes of frustration as departure boards filled with delays and cancellations.

In late September, flights at Fuerteventura Airport were also diverted following drone sightings near the runway. The incident temporarily halted incoming air traffic, with local media reporting extensive delays across the Spanish island’s airport, which connects to more than 80 destinations.

By Vafa Guliyeva