Germany’s Munich airport reported early on Friday (October 3) that drone sightings on Thursday evening (October 2) had forced air traffic control to halt operations, resulting in the cancellation of 17 flights and affecting nearly 3,000 passengers.
“Another 15 arriving flights were diverted to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna and Frankfurt,” the airport said in a statement, highlighting the latest drone-related disruption in European aviation following similar temporary closures at airports in Denmark and Norway last week.
The statement said, “Late in the evening of October 2, German air traffic control (DFS) restricted flight operations at Munich Airport from 10:18 p.m. and later suspended them altogether due to several drone sightings. As a result, 17 flights were unable to take off from Munich that evening, affecting nearly 3,000 passengers. Munich Airport, in cooperation with the airlines, immediately took care of the passengers in the terminals. Camp beds were set up, and blankets, drinks, and snacks were provided. In addition, 15 arriving flights were diverted to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt.”
German air traffic control officials restricted flight operations at Munich airport from 10:18 p.m. (2018 GMT) on Thursday and later suspended them altogether due to several drone sightings, the airport added.
The city was already placed on edge this week when its popular Oktoberfest was closed temporarily due to a bomb threat and the discovery of explosives in a residential building in the north of the city.
(With Reuters Input)
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