Drone incident at Berlin's BER airport sparks debate about protecting critical infrastructure

After a drone was spotted at the Berlin-Brandenburg capital airport (BER), the background is unclear. Spokesmen for the police and federal police did not provide any new information about the incident this morning. Growing dangers from unauthorized drone overflights sparked a debate about the protection of critical infrastructure in Germany.

Flight operations at BER were temporarily suspended on Wednesday evening. Flight passengers had to endure delays and diversions.

According to federal police, airport employees saw a drone. The German air traffic control (DFS) then closed the runways. Flight operations were reopened shortly after 9 p.m. The federal police were on the lookout but were unable to find any drones, said a spokeswoman for the security authority.

Attack with explosive drone in Leipzig

In August there was an attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport with a drone equipped with explosives. It was discovered between Ukrainian cargo planes. The Federal Prosecutor's Office is investigating suspicions of attempting to cause an explosive explosion. The federal government blamed Russia for the attack. Moscow denies this.

28 drone sightings at BER in the first half of the year

In the past, the Berlin-Brandenburg capital airport has repeatedly had to interrupt air traffic due to drone sightings. At no other German airport were as many drones spotted in the first half of the year as at BER.

The tower in Schönefeld registered 28 such flying objects in the first six months, as the DFS announced upon request. That was one more sighting than in the same period at Germany's largest airport in Frankfurt am Main. As a result, air traffic at BER had to be temporarily interrupted in seven cases.