Munich Drone Incidents Add to Europe’s Security Worries
The Bavarian capital is now part of a increasing number of EU airfields affected by drone sightings in the last month, including seventeen flight cancellations, 15 diverted elsewhere, and numerous travelers dealing with disruption to their itineraries overnight.
Multiple witnesses reported observing UAVs in the vicinity of the aviation facility, with a additional report afterwards established inside the restricted zone, obliging air traffic control to stop flights pending investigation.
It remains unknown the number of, or which models, UAVs were involved.
The event happens just before the closing weekend of the Oktoberfest gathering, which had already seen issues a few days ago due to a bomb threat in the metropolis.
The German air navigation service, the national flight management organization responsible for the country’s flight paths, said last week that unmanned aircraft reports around aviation hubs are increasing, with 144 reported so far in this year, as opposed to 113 last year, and 99 in the year before last.
Expect the reports and the connected issues to fuel the discussion about the continent’s air defences, shortly after the gathering of EU officials in Copenhagen showed varying opinions – mainly along regional divisions – about the freshly introduced “UAV barrier” project.
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Key Points
- Germany’s second-largest airport faced substantial flight cancellations due to unmanned aircraft observations.
- A number of trips were grounded, and several more were sent elsewhere.
- Many individuals dealt with itinerary changes overnight.
- The event occurred shortly before the last weekend of the Bavarian celebration.
- UAV observations near the nation’s airfields have been increasing in the past few years.
- The situations are anticipated to reignite debates on European air defence and the suggested “unmanned aircraft defense” plan.
