Flights have resumed at Munich Airport after drone sightings forced Germany’s second-busiest airport to suspend operations for the second time in 24 hours.
The airport said flights were stopped at 21:30 local time (20:30 GMT) on Friday, affecting around 6,500 passengers. At least 17 flights were grounded the previous day after drones were spotted near the airfield.
Munich Airport said on Saturday morning that operations had ‘gradually resumed’ but warned passengers of ongoing delays.
Travellers were urged to check flight updates before heading to the airport.
Authorities have not identified where the drones came from or who operated them. Reports in Belgium said 15 drones were seen above the Elsenborn military site near the German border before crossing into German airspace and being spotted by police in Dren.
Germany’s Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, said he would raise the issue of anti-drone defences at a meeting of European interior ministers and plans to fast-track legislation allowing police to request military help to shoot down drones.
The latest incident comes amid a surge in drone sightings across Europe. Airports in Copenhagen and Oslo have also suspended flights after drones were detected near restricted zones.
European leaders met in Copenhagen this week to discuss a coordinated response, including a proposed ‘drone wall’ to detect and destroy hostile drones.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the frequency of airspace incursions was increasing, calling it ‘reasonable to assume the drones are coming from Russia.’
Moscow has denied involvement, and Danish authorities say there is no evidence linking Russia to the incidents.
Speaking in Sochi on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the claims with a joke: ‘I won’t do it again. I won’t do it again – not to France or Denmark or Copenhagen.’