Munich/ Airport closed for second time in 24 hours, drone suspected

2025-10-04 10:50:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Munich Airport in Germany has grounded flights for the second time in 24 hours, following more unconfirmed drone sightings.

In a statement last night, the airport said flights were suspended at 9:30 p.m. domestically, with around 6,500 passengers affected.

At least 17 flights were also canceled in Munich on Thursday evening because too many drones were seen in nearby airspace.

This is the latest in a series of incidents involving drones that have disrupted aviation in Europe in recent weeks.

Also, authorities in Belgium on Thursday were investigating alarms about 15 drones, which were seen over the Elsenborn military base near the German border, according to Belgian media reports.

After being spotted, the drones reportedly flew from Belgium to Germany, where they were also observed by police in the small German town of Düren.

Officials have not been able to identify where the drones originated or who was flying them.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said he would raise the issue of drone protection today at a meeting of European interior ministers, which was initially proposed as a summit on migration.

Earlier yesterday, the minister promised to introduce proposed legislation that makes it easier for police to ask the military to shoot down drones.

Recent drone sightings across the European Union prompted a leaders' summit in Copenhagen this week.

Several EU member states have backed plans for a drone wall to quickly detect and destroy Russian drones.

Twenty Russian drones flew over Poland and Russian MiG-31 jets entered Estonian airspace in separate recent incidents.

Copenhagen and Oslo airports were forced to close after unidentified drones were spotted near airport and military airspace.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said before the summit that airspace interference was worsening and that it was reasonable to assume that the drones were coming from Russia.

Russia has denied any involvement, while Danish authorities say there was no evidence that Moscow was involved.

Speaking at a summit in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin laughed off suggestions that he ordered drones for Denmark.