Munich Airport shut after drone chaos

Germany’s Munich Airport was shut down overnight after repeated drone sightings. The closure lasted

Germany’s Munich Airport was shut down overnight after repeated drone sightings. The closure lasted almost seven hours and disrupted thousands of passengers.

The shutdown began around 10 p.m. on Thursday. Seventeen flights were cancelled. Around 3,000 passengers were stranded.

Fifteen inbound flights were also diverted. Planes were sent to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, and Frankfurt in Germany, and to Vienna in Austria. Flight trackers showed aircraft circling before being redirected.

The airport reopened at 5 a.m. on Friday after authorities declared it safe. The first scheduled arrival was a Lufthansa flight from Bangkok.

Munich is one of Europe’s busiest airports and a hub for Lufthansa. The airline said 19 of its flights were either cancelled or rerouted. Three long-haul flights to Asia were among them. Passengers were given food, drinks, and blankets. Some had to sleep on camp beds inside the terminal.

German police and security agencies have not yet explained the drone activity. The investigation is ongoing.

Part of a wider European problem

Munich is the latest European airport to face drone disruptions. Just last week, airports in Denmark faced major shutdowns. Tens of thousands of passengers were affected there.

In response, Denmark banned all civil drone flights. The move came as the country hosted a European leaders’ summit in Copenhagen. Leaders discussed Ukraine, European defense, and a new plan to strengthen air security.

One of the proposals is the so-called “drone wall.” It is not a physical wall. Instead, it would be a layered system of radar, detection, and interception to protect European skies from drones.

The debate comes amid growing fears of Russian involvement. NATO members Poland and Romania have reported suspected Russian drones crossing their airspace. Estonia has accused Russian jets of violations as well.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Russia is the biggest threat to Europe’s security. Moscow denied the claims. President Vladimir Putin dismissed the accusations as “NATO propaganda.” But he also warned that Russia would take “countermeasures” if European militarization continued.

The drone incident has added to local fears. Earlier this week, Munich’s Oktoberfest festival was temporarily evacuated after a bomb threat.