Munich airport briefly closed after drone sightings, disrupting flights

On October 2, Munich Airport was forced to suspend operations after drones were reported near its runways, leading to cancellations and diversions that affected thousands of passengers.

The airport operator said 17 flights were cancelled and 15 redirected to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna and Frankfurt after multiple reports of drones in the vicinity, Caliber.Az reports per German media.

Runways were closed from 22:18 local time, while federal and state police conducted ground patrols and a helicopter search of the area. No drones or suspects were found.

Around 3,000 travellers were stranded overnight. Authorities and airlines provided cots, blankets, drinks and snacks, according to the operator. Normal operations resumed in the early hours of Friday (October 3), with departures later confirmed on the airport’s website and the flight-tracking service Flightradar24.

The incident comes amid heightened concern over drone activity in Germany. Last week, several unmanned aircraft were spotted over Schleswig-Holstein, where police suspect they may have been mapping sensitive sites, including a power plant, Kiel University Hospital and the state government headquarters. Authorities are investigating possible espionage.

Security officials are also examining a possible link to a cargo vessel whose movements appeared to coincide with the drone flights in northern Germany. The ship later docked in Russia, officials said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev