Drone Sighting Halts Air Traffic at Berlin Brandenburg Airport

The operation of Berlin Brandenburg International Airport was suspended for about two hours on Friday evening, October 31, due to an unknown unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) spotted near the airport. This was reported on Saturday night by the dpa and AFP news agencies, citing an airport spokesperson, as reported by dw.com.

The incident led to serious disruptions at the main air gateway of the German capital. According to the airport spokesperson, "flights were suspended for about two hours, from 20:08 to 21:58 local time." During this time, the airspace was closed to ensure flight safety.

As a result of the shutdown, many flights heading to Berlin were forced to change their route and land at airports in other cities. Specifically, aircraft were redirected to Dresden, Leipzig, Hamburg, and Hanover. In addition, significant delays were recorded in the schedules of both departing and arriving flights, which led to inconvenience and uncertainty for passengers.

Law enforcement agencies responded to the situation immediately. A spokesperson for the Brandenburg police told reporters that it all started with a call from a witness. He reported that he "saw a drone near the airport around 20:00." The crew of a police patrol car that arrived at the scene also confirmed the presence of the UAV.

Despite the search efforts, law enforcement officials were unable to locate the person operating the drone. For security reasons, the airport management decided to resume flights only after they were convinced that the threat no longer existed. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.