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Munich airport in Germany resumed normal operations on Friday following an overnight closure due to multiple drone sightings. This marks the latest in a series of aviation disruptions across Europe attributed to similar incidents. Recently, airports in Denmark, Norway, and Poland have suspended flights because of unidentified drones. Romania and Estonia have alleged Russian involvement in these incidents, though Russia has denied the accusations. The closure of Munich's airspace on Thursday night resulted in the cancellation or diversion of over 30 flights and left nearly 3,000 passengers without accommodations.
An airport spokesman said in a statement that "flight operations resumed as normal from 5:00 a.m. on Friday morning". "Passengers who were affected by the closure yesterday have been booked on new flights and flights cancelled yesterday will be rescheduled for today," he added. A spokesperson for German flag carrier Lufthansa also said "flight operations have since resumed according to schedule".
"Nineteen Lufthansa flights were affected -- either cancelled or re-routed -- because of the airport suspension," the spokesperson said.
A police spokesperson earlier said that several people spotted drones around the airport at about 1930 GMT on Thursday, and again an hour later, leading to the closure of both runways for an hour. The airport said it had laid on camp beds, blankets, drinks and snacks to affected passengers.
German authorities have launched a search to identify the origin of the drones. Police helicopters were deployed but "no information is available on the type and number of drones," the spokesperson said.
The incident came ahead of German Unity Day -- a national holiday -- and the final weekend of Oktoberfest, which draws hundreds of thousands of people to Munich every day. The annual beer gala and funfair had already closed for half a day on Wednesday after a bomb scare.
The drone sightings in Denmark and high-profile aerial incursions by Moscow in Estonia and Poland have heightened fears that Russia's assault on Ukraine could spill over Europe's borders. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Europe on Thursday that the recent drone incursions showed Moscow was looking to "escalate" its aggression.
EU heads of state met in Copenhagen this week to discuss bolstering the bloc's defences with the establishment of a "drone wall".
