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Unauthorized drone activity at European airports

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2026-09-24 03:59 UTC → 2026-09-24 04:18 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Unauthorized drone sightings have caused flight suspensions at major European airports, raising concerns regarding aviation security and hybrid threats to critical infrastructure. In Luxembourg, the airport suspended all operations after drones were spotted near the Findel terminal, affecting over 1,800 passengers and forcing the diversion of 19 flights. Prime Minister Luc Frieden noted that potentially larger drones had been observed in the region in the days prior to the incident. The government has established an inter-ministerial drone assessment cell and is collaborating with NATO partners to investigate the unknown operators. Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) has also experienced disruptions. On a Wednesday evening, flight operations were temporarily suspended for approximately 45 minutes after reports of a drone near the runways. The German air traffic control service (DFS) closed both the northern and southern runways, forcing several aircraft to divert to airports such as Dresden and Leipzig. While witnesses and airport staff reported seeing the drone, the Federal Police stated they were unable to confirm its presence during subsequent searches. This event follows a documented trend of drone activity at the German facility. DFS data indicates that BER recorded 28 drone sightings in the first half of the year, the highest number of any German airport. This represents a sharp increase from 2025, when only eight sightings were recorded in the entire year, prompting renewed debates regarding the protection of critical infrastructure in Germany. These security concerns are further heightened by a previous incident at Leipzig/Halle airport involving a drone equipped with explosives, an event for which the German government held Russia responsible.

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