Munich Airport chaos: 17 flights cancelled after drone sighting, 3000 passengers affected
Munich(Uttam Hindu News): A drone sighting caused panic at Munich Airport, Germany's second busiest, on Thursday evening. The airport was briefly closed for security reasons, disrupting flight operations. At least 17 flights were canceled and 15 others were diverted to nearby cities like Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt.
Drone sighting at Munich Airport in Germany causes panic, 17 flights cancelled, affecting over 3,000 passengers: According to Munich Airport administration, the travel of around 3,000 passengers has been affected due to this incident. Air traffic had to be stopped due to the presence of drones and a complete ban was imposed on flight operations from 10:18 pm (local time). This step was taken after confirmation of sighting of more than one drone in the airport area. As soon as the incident was reported, the local police and fire department were alerted. At present, it is not clear from where the drones came and for what purpose they were flown. Investigation into the matter is underway.
It's worth noting that Munich Airport served nearly 20 million passengers in the first six months of this year and is considered one of Germany's busiest airports. Security lapses like this not only impact airport operations but also raise questions about passenger safety.
Just prior to this incident, the city of Munich was already in a state of panic after a bomb threat was received against a residential building in the northern part of the city and explosives were recovered. This also led to the temporary suspension of the city's popular Oktoberfest festival.
Last week, similar drone activity in Denmark led to flight disruptions at several airports, causing disruptions for approximately 10,000 passengers. The Danish government did not name any countries, but Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen hinted at a possible Russian involvement. She said Europe now needs to strengthen its security and anti-drone capabilities.