Flights were canceled for the second night in a row at Munich airport after “military” drones entered the airspace and vanished before they could be identified, The Telegraph and Bild reported.
This comes amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Recently, Russia has intensified its military provocations in NATO airspace, targeting Ukraine’s key allies. Combat drones have violated Polish and Romanian skies, while Russian warplanes entered Estonian airspace. Meanwhile, drones of unknown origin have disrupted operations at several airports across the Baltic and North Sea countries. Tracking data reportedly previously showed a vessel from Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” operating off Denmark and Norway during previous airport shutdowns in those countries.
Munich lies about 650 km from northern seas and 290 km from the nearest southern coast, making a sea-based launch unlikely.
Munich airport, one of the busiest in Germany, suspended operations from 9:30 p.m. on 3 October after drones were spotted above both its runways. Flights were halted and only resumed gradually the next morning. In total, 23 inbound flights were diverted, 12 were canceled, and 46 departures were either delayed or canceled, the airport said, according to The Telegraph. Over 6,500 passengers were affected.
Police patrols confirmed two simultaneous drone sightings — one over the north runway, the other over the south — just before 11p.m.
“The drones immediately moved away, before they could be identified,” a police spokesman told AFP.
Both runways of the same airport had previously been shut down a day earlier, on 2 October, due to similar drone activity.
German police confirm military-grade drone involvement
German tabloid Bild reported it had obtained a classified situation report stating that the UAVs responsible for the shutdown were “military reconnaissance drones”, not consumer or hobbyist models. That assessment was supported by the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, which said it began supporting Munich airport “in the area of drone detection” from 3 October.
A police helicopter was deployed to patrol the airspace around the airport. However, no drones were intercepted, as they "immediately turned around and disappeared." Police could not determine the origin point of the UAVs.
More drone incidents in Germany
Earlier this week, drones were also reported flying over Erding, a nearby town that hosts a German military airfield. Sightings were also reported in Freising, according to AFP.
A separate drone incident took place at Frankfurt airport the same night. A 41-year-old Croatian man was arrested and is being investigated in connection with it, officials confirmed.
Interior minister calls for urgent action as military supports airport
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told Bild that the incidents should serve as a “wake-up call” about the threat drones pose to civilian infrastructure.
“The race between the threat from drones and the defense against drones is becoming more and more difficult,” he said, calling for more research and investment at both the national and EU levels.