BERLIN, 1 November (H.S.): Air traffic at Berlin Brandenburg Airport was brought to a standstill for nearly two hours on Friday evening following the sighting of multiple unidentified drones, marking the latest in a spate of similar incidents that have disrupted aviation and heightened security concerns across Europe.

The airport suspended all take-offs and landings between 8:08 pm and 9:58 pm local time, compelling a whole series of flights to be rerouted to other German cities.

An airport spokesperson confirmed the closure and stated that Berlin's strict ban on night flights was temporarily relaxed to help manage the subsequent operational backlog.

Authorities, including state police and a helicopter unit, were deployed to investigate the sightings. Although a patrol car confirmed spotting a drone, its operator could not be identified. We assume that the danger has been averted for the time being, the spokesperson added after operations resumed.This event is not an isolated case. German leaders have voiced increasing alarm over what they term a growing hybrid threat from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) after numerous sightings over sensitive military and industrial sites this year.

Similar drone-related disruptions have recently forced flight suspensions at airports in Denmark, Norway, and Poland. While some Eastern European nations have pointed the finger at Russia for these incursions, Moscow has consistently denied the allegations.The incident in Berlin follows a similar shutdown at Munich's airport in early October, which was also triggered by drone activity.

The escalating frequency of these events has prompted calls for a more robust response, with German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt advocating for new measures to detect, assess, and potentially neutralize drone threats.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar