MUNICH — Munich Airport, one of Germany’s busiest air hubs, was forced to close for nearly seven hours overnight due to a wave of unexplained drone activity — the latest in a string of European airports hit by such disruptions.
According to airport authorities, 17 departures were canceled shortly after 10:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, affecting nearly 3,000 passengers. An additional 15 inbound flights were diverted to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, and Vienna.
Tracking data from Flightradar showed several aircraft circling near Munich around 11:00 p.m. before rerouting to alternative airports.
The airport resumed normal operations at 5:00 a.m. Friday, after officials confirmed that both arrivals and departures could once again be conducted safely.
“Everything has restarted. Some flights were canceled, but since 5 a.m. all arrivals and departures are safe,” an airport spokesperson told CNN.
The incident adds to growing concerns over aviation security in Europe, with authorities across the continent facing increasing challenges from unauthorized drone flights.
