A drone sighting near runway 12 at Malaga Airport on Sunday night caused significant disruption, forcing eight flights from the UK and Ireland to divert to other airports. The incident, which occurred around 9 p.m., led to a temporary suspension of operations for safety reasons. Incoming flights from cities including London, Birmingham, Bristol, and Cork were primarily rerouted to Seville, with one flight diverted to Alicante.
Air traffic controllers reported that several flight crews observed the drone as they prepared to land. Spain's state air navigation manager, Enaire, issued a warning, stating that the presence of a drone approaching the airport necessitated the suspension of operations. The disruption lasted for more than 50 minutes, during which no landings were permitted.
Airport operator Aena confirmed that the Civil Guard had cleared the area of any security risks by 9:35 p.m., allowing operations to gradually resume. However, air traffic controllers maintained that landings were suspended for over 50 minutes due to safety concerns. The incident was logged in the Eurocontrol Operations Portal with a status indicating a halt in landings.
The procedure for such events involves suspending operations and notifying state security forces. The drone sighting at Malaga Airport is part of a series of similar incidents reported at European airports in recent months.
These prior events include an incident on August 5 at Leipzig Halle Airport in Germany, where a drone carrying explosives was discovered. This major freight hub, which handles military goods for NATO allies and serves as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines, experienced runway closures and flight diversions following the discovery. German security officials warned that this incident signaled a "new quality of danger," raising concerns about potential Russian hybrid tactics across Europe.
In May, Munich Airport halted all flights due to a potential drone sighting, shortly after a Russian drone impacted an apartment building in Romania. In the same month, Lithuanian lawmakers sought shelter and air traffic at Vilnius Airport was suspended after a drone violated the country's airspace. Train traffic around Vilnius and operations at schools and kindergartens were also affected.
Munich Airport experienced another closure in October of the previous year due to multiple 'military' drone sightings. Federal police confirmed these sightings but provided no details on the drones' type or size. In September of an unspecified year, Copenhagen and Oslo airports also faced temporary closures due to drone activity. During the same period, drones were reportedly observed by police and armed forces at Norway's Orland Main Air Station.
Western officials have attributed numerous attacks and incidents across Europe to Russia and its proxies since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began over four years ago. The recurring drone sightings at airports raise concerns about aviation security and potential hybrid warfare tactics.