Drone Sighting Shuts Down Major Airport in Alicante, Spain

In Alicante, one of Spain's major tourist centers, the airport's airspace was completely closed for two hours on Monday evening due to the appearance of an unknown unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This is the second such incident in Spain in the last two weeks, which raises serious concerns about aviation security in Europe.

As reported by AENA, the company that manages Spanish airports, the flying drone was detected in the immediate vicinity of the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport. As a result of the airspace closure, ten flights bound for Alicante were forced to change direction and land in other cities, including Valencia, Barcelona, Mallorca, and Murcia. Although there were no flight cancellations, significant delays were recorded.

It is not yet known who is behind the incident. The authorities have launched an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the case.

This incident is not unique. Since the end of September, the appearance of mysterious unmanned aerial vehicles has repeatedly caused disruptions and airport closures throughout the European Union. Similar cases have been recorded at one of Germany's largest airports in Munich, as well as at four airports in Denmark. It should be recalled that on October 19, the operation of the Palma de Mallorca airport in Spain was temporarily suspended due to unknown drones.

Alicante airport, located about 420 km southeast of Madrid, is considered one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. In September of this year, it set a monthly passenger record, serving more than 1.9 million people, most of whom arrived from the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The recurrence of such incidents is a serious threat not only to aviation security but also to the region's tourism industry.