Spain experiences first drone intrusion, airport operations halted
Illustrative photo: An airport in Spain was closed due to an unidentified drone (GettyImages)
Unknown drones were recorded in Spain for the first time, temporarily shutting down a local airport on the island of Mallorca, according to Spanish media.
According to reports, incoming flights were halted for approximately 35 minutes. After security checks were completed, flights resumed and the airport returned to normal operations.
The incident caused delays and diversions for several planes – in total, eight flights were unable to land in Palma due to the drone sighting.
Spanish police have launched an investigation. Authorities deployed their own drone to locate the unidentified device, but the search was unsuccessful. Investigators are trying to determine exactly where the drone entered the airspace and who was operating it.
Unknown drones in Europe
Drone flights in restricted airspace are increasingly disrupting airport operations across Europe. In recent months, similar incidents have temporarily halted airports in Denmark, Norway, Germany, Romania, and other countries.
For example, on the evening of October 18, Munich Airport in Germany was temporarily closed again following reports of unidentified drones.
In September, 14 European airports temporarily suspended operations due to unknown drone intrusions – a record number for a single month.
RBC-Ukraine reports on how much the aviation industry loses due to drone incursions and why there is no quick solution.
