(MENAFN) Flight operations at Munich Airport restarted early Saturday following a second consecutive evening of drone-related interruptions that halted takeoffs and landings, according to local media reports.

Germany’s second-largest airport initially aimed to resume flights at 5 a.m., but federal police confirmed multiple drone sightings near both runways late Friday night, delaying the restart until about 7 a.m., a German newspaper reported.

The airport’s management revealed that 23 inbound flights were diverted, 12 were canceled, and 46 departures were grounded, impacting approximately 6,500 passengers.

Many stranded travelers spent the night in airport terminals where authorities provided camp beds, blankets, and refreshments to ease the disruption.

Thursday night had already seen similar drone activity force a temporary shutdown of operations, leaving around 3,000 passengers stuck at the airport.

These repeated drone intrusions have intensified calls among German officials for enhanced drone countermeasures around vital infrastructure.

North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul emphasized the urgency, stating Germany "urgently needs a functioning drone defense system," and underscoring that security forces must be "modern and capable" of responding effectively.

The reasons behind the drone flights remain unclear. Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder noted the events align with a larger European trend of security challenges.

Reul warned that whether coordinated or not, such incidents "play into (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's hands" by fostering uncertainty.

Drone-related airport disruptions in Germany have surged this year, with German Air Traffic Control (DFS) documenting 144 incidents nationwide by the end of August—up from 113 during the same timeframe last year.

This latest episode coincides with multiple EU countries—including Poland, Romania, Estonia, and Denmark—reporting recent drone violations or airspace disturbances. Russia, accused of involvement, denies these claims.

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