Spain: Drone sighting halts Palma de Mallorca Airport for 35 minutes

An unknown drone spotted near Palma de Mallorca Airport, Spain, forced a temporary suspension of operations for approximately 35 minutes on October 19, Dario de Mallorca reports.

At least six flight crews reported seeing the drone near the airport, also known as Son Sant Joan Airport. As a result, several flights were diverted to other airports, including Ibiza, Menorca, and Barcelona.

Spain’s air navigation service, Enaire, confirmed that operations were halted for safety reasons. Authorities deployed security forces and used their own drone to inspect the area but reported no suspicious activity.

The incident occurred during a busy day at Mallorca’s main airport, with 892 scheduled takeoffs and landings. A total of eight flights were redirected due to the disruption.

Palma de Mallorca International Airport is located 8 km east of Palma city and is Spain’s third-largest airport after Madrid and Barcelona.

By Khagan Isayev