Drone sightings force Munich airport shutdown, thousands of passengers stranded
What's the story
Germany's Munich airport has been temporarily shut down after drones were spotted near its airspace. The incident led to the cancellation of over a dozen flights, stranding nearly 3,000 passengers. At least 17 flights were grounded and another 15 diverted to nearby cities, including Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt.
Safety measures
Camp beds, blankets provided to stranded passengers
The airport authorities said that flight operations were restricted from 10:18pm local time on Thursday and later completely suspended due to multiple drone sightings. "Munich Airport, in cooperation with the airlines, immediately took care of the passengers in the terminals," an official statement said. The statement also added that camp beds, blankets, drinks, and snacks were provided to stranded passengers.
Security protocols
Passenger safety is paramount
The airport stressed that passenger safety is paramount and said, "Reporting chains between air traffic control, the airport, and police authorities have been established for years." The detection and defense against drones are sovereign tasks of federal and state police. The incident comes amid a series of similar disruptions across Europe due to unidentified drones.
European disruptions
Similar incidents in Denmark and Norway
Denmark and Norway recently experienced temporary shutdowns due to similar drone sightings. Although Russian involvement was suspected, no evidence has been found to support these claims. Moscow has denied any responsibility for these incidents. The Munich airport disruption comes on the heels of a bomb threat that rocked Oktoberfest in Munich earlier this week.
Festival disruption
Oktoberfest bomb threat incident
The Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich was affected by a bomb threat after police found explosives in a residential building. The building caught fire, killing one person. Police are investigating possible connections to other locations in Munich, including Theresienwiese where the festival is held.