Drone sightings at Germany’s Munich Airport force 17 flights to be canceled; panic across Europe

New Delhi. Air traffic control at Germany’s busy Munich Airport was forced to abruptly halt operations on Thursday evening due to a drone sighting. This resulted in the cancellation of 17 flights, impacting the travel of approximately 3,000 passengers. The airport authority confirmed this in a statement early Friday.

The incident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. (local time) on Thursday night, when several drones were spotted in the airspace. The airport had to be temporarily closed for safety reasons. Additionally, 15 arriving flights were diverted to German cities like Stuttgart, Nuremberg, and Frankfurt, as well as Vienna Airport in neighboring Austria. Munich Airport, located in the southern German state of Bavaria, has served approximately 20 million passengers in the first six months of this year.

Airport officials said the police and fire department were immediately alerted, and an investigation is underway. The origin of the drone is unknown. However, this incident appears to be part of a recent series of drone-related incidents in Europe. A few weeks ago, drone sightings disrupted flights at Copenhagen Airport in Denmark and Oslo Airport in Norway, prompting Denmark to ban civilian drone flights.

Experts believe these incidents could indicate a security threat, especially in the airspace of NATO member countries. Munich Airport has advised passengers to make alternative arrangements and check their official website for updates. No injuries or damage have been reported so far, but investigators are investigating any potential threats from drones.