MUNICH (AP) – Germany’s Munich Airport reopened Saturday morning after authorities closed it for the second time in less than 24 hours the night before after two more drone sightings, officials said.
The closure is the latest in the wake of mysterious drone overflights in the European Union member state’s airspace.
The airport, one of Germany’s largest, reopened in stages from 7am (5pm Japan time) on Saturday. Planes usually begin taking off at 5 a.m.
Federal police said in a statement on Saturday that two drones were seen near the airport’s north and south runways just before 11 p.m. Friday. The drone flew away before it could be identified.
The airport said in a statement that delays are expected to continue through Saturday. At least 6,500 passengers were affected by the overnight closure from Friday to Saturday.
The previous closure, which ran from Thursday night to Friday, affected about 3,000 passengers.
Authorities could not immediately provide information about those responsible for the overflight.
The incident was the latest in a series of incidents in which mysterious drones have been seen over airports and other critical infrastructure facilities in several European Union member states. Drones were also spotted over military bases in Belgium overnight.
A drone incident in Oslo, the capital of Norway, a NATO member but not part of the European Union, also affected flights in the country late last month.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the overpass. European authorities have expressed concern that it is being carried out by Russia, but some experts say someone with a drone could be behind it. Russian authorities have denied claims of involvement, including in the recent drone incident in Denmark.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warned the public on Saturday that not all drones are a threat.
Even if drone flights are initiated by a foreign power, that does not automatically mean people are at risk, he said. The flyover may just be a provocation, he added.
Still, the minister said drones were the latest arms race and Germany had to face it together with other EU countries. Dobrindt said he plans to establish a joint drone defense center for cooperation between Germany’s federal government and the states.
