Drone Sightings Halt Munich Airport Flights

Munich Airport suspended flight operations late on Oct. 2 after multiple drone sightings near runways triggered restrictions from about 22:18, forced a roughly one‑hour closure and the airport reopened in the early hours of Friday. Seventeen departing flights were cancelled and about 15 inbound flights were diverted, affecting nearly 3,000 passengers; airport staff provided camp beds, blankets, water and snacks overnight. Police launched searches, deployed helicopters and are investigating the drones' origin, type and number, but no operators have been identified. The incident disrupted a major Lufthansa hub and came just before Oktoberfest's final weekend, following a separate bomb threat in Munich earlier in the week. It is the latest in a string of recent drone incursions across Europe — including Denmark, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Estonia and Romania — and has led German authorities to boost counter‑drone defences in coordination with the Bundeswehr as EU ministers discuss measures such as a proposed "drone wall." Some leaders have pointed to possible Russian involvement while Moscow denies responsibility.