Munich Airport Closes Runways Again Amid Drone Threats

Munich Airport has been forced to close its runways for a second consecutive night due to the detection of unidentified drones in its airspace. The airport’s police spokesperson confirmed that both runways were shut down in response to the ongoing situation. This closure occurred as Prague Airport heightened its security measures following reports of an “unverified threat” related to drone activity.

In Prague, a significant police presence was established after an apparent tip-off from an English-speaking source. The Czech police stated, “We are prepared to immediately take measures related to the closure of airspace and simultaneously close all access roads.” Snipers from the foreign police were deployed to monitor the skies for any potential threats from above.

Drones have disrupted air traffic across Europe in recent days, leading to significant cancellations and diversions. On the previous Thursday night, Munich Airport experienced its first major impact from drone sightings, prompting officials to cancel flights and close the airport two hours ahead of its usual midnight to 05:00 hour curfew. Incoming planes were redirected to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt, affecting a total of nineteen Lufthansa flights.

The initial sighting of the drones occurred at approximately 21:30 local time, with another sighting reported an hour later. Earlier that day, 15 drones were observed above the Elsenborn military site in Belgium, close to the German border, before heading towards Germany and being spotted over the town of Düren.

The situation is not isolated to Munich. Last week, both Copenhagen and Oslo airports were also compelled to close due to unidentified drones near their airspaces. While suspicion has fallen on Russia regarding these incidents, the Kremlin has firmly denied any involvement. Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed claims of orchestrating drone activities towards Denmark during a recent summit in Sochi.

As authorities continue to investigate the origin and intent behind these drone activities, the aviation community remains on high alert, with airport operations heavily impacted across multiple nations.