Germany's Munich airport reopened on 3 October after shutting overnight due to drone sightings that forced the cancellation or diversion of dozens of flights and heightened concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in Europe.
As operations resumed early on Friday morning, a Reuters witness saw passengers checking in for a flight to Varna in Bulgaria, and the departure board showed only a few flights had been cancelled.
The airport said several drone sightings late on Thursday evening had forced air traffic control to suspend operations, leading to the cancellation of 17 flights and disrupting travel for nearly 3,000 passengers, who were provided with camp beds, blankets and food.
Another 15 arriving flights were diverted to other cities including Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna and Frankfurt, the airport said.
The drones were sighted in the late evening above the airport, a police spokesman told newspaper Bild. But because it was dark, the size and types of the drones could not be determined, he added.
The disruption in Munich is the latest in a string of similar drone incidents that have rattled European aviation and raised broader security concerns, coming after airspace intrusions temporarily shut airports in Denmark and Norway last week.
The incidents prompted a sharp response from European Union leaders, who backed plans at a summit in Copenhagen on Wednesday to bolster the bloc's defences with anti-drone measures.
"Europe must be able to defend itself," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said after the meeting.
Authorities have not publicly blamed a specific actor for the Munich drone incident, but some European officials have suggested Russia is behind other recent airspace violations.
Russia has previously denied involvement in the drone activity.
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NATO member Romania reported on Friday that a Russian drone injured two people in the southeastern city of Galati during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine. The incident marks the first time in the war that a drone has struck a densely populated area in Romania and caused injuries.
NATO fighter jets were activated on Thursday (21 May) after at least one drone entered Latvian airspace, according to Latvia’s armed forces, marking the latest in a series of security incidents across the Baltic region linked to the war in Ukraine.
Lithuania on Wednesday issued an “air danger” warning urging residents to seek shelter and temporarily suspended operations at the capital’s airport amid fears that drones had entered the country’s airspace, as tensions between Russia and the Baltic states continue to escalate.
Russian attacks killed two people and injured 19 across Ukraine overnight, local officials said on Wednesday, while Kyiv launched drone strikes targeting industrial sites in central Russia.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has urged Asian allies to increase military spending, warning of growing concern over China’s rapid military expansion and wider activities in the region.
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Three Latvian climbers have died after falling on Mount McKinley in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, authorities and a Latvian climbing organisation have said
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 30 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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