Munich airport again halts operations due to drones; police investigating drones near Prague airport
Unidentified drones were once again spotted over European airports late on Oct. 3, disrupting flights and prompting renewed police investigations.
Authorities at Munich International Airport suspended flight operations shortly after 9:30 p.m. local time after multiple drones were spotted in the vicinity of the airport for the second time in less than 24 hours, the airport said in a statement.
Some 35 incoming flights have been diverted or cancelled as a result of the drones sightings, officials said, while 46 flight departures were postponed until Oct. 4. In total, 6,500 passengers were affected by the disruptions, airport officials announced.
Authorities have launched an investigation and are attempting to determine the type and origin of the drone.
The incident occurs just one day after drone sightings grounded 17 flights, affecting nearly 3,000 passengers at Munich airport. Following the sightings, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soder called for German police to be authorized to shoot down unidentified drones, saying his state is already drafting legislation to allow it.
Earlier in the evening, drones were also reportedly approaching the Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague, Czech police announced.
Amid an increased presence at the airport by Czech National Police, authorities said they were investigating "an anonymous and unverified threat about approaching drones."
Police did not provide details on the reported drone threats but added that investigations are ongoing. Airport officials did not report any flight disruptions amid the investigation.
Similar drone sightings in recent weeks have disrupted operations at major transportation hubs, including Oslo Airport in Norway and Copenhagen Airport in Denmark, both of which were temporarily shut down as a precaution.
The drone sightings follow a rash of high-profile Russian airspace violations that have heightened tensions between Moscow and NATO.
In early September, Polish forces shot down several Russian drones that had entered their airspace during a mass attack against Ukraine. A Russian drone also breached Romanian territory a few days later, though Bucharest opted not to engage it.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 28, citing intelligence reports, that Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of oil tankers are being used to "launch and control" Russian drones over European cities.
Spiegel reported on Oct. 2 that German investigators are examining possible links between unidentified drones spotted over northern Germany, while the Guardian reported Oct. 1 that two crew members of a Russian shadow fleet vessel were detained in connection with drone sighting over France after the French military has boarded the ship.
Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets also briefly entered Estonian airspace on Sept. 19, remaining there for 12 minutes before being intercepted by NATO forces.
