The airspace over the northern German city of Hanover was closed to air traffic after unidentified drones were spotted in the area, an airport official said, quoted by DPA.
The closure lasted from last night until shortly after midnight today, forcing seven planes to be diverted to Paderborn, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and other destinations.
There are no official details about the drone yet. According to the “Hannoverische Allgemeine Zeitung“ A drone was spotted at an altitude of around 80 metres, and later at least two drones approached the site itself.
In November, Hanover Airport was already closed for 45 minutes after a drone was spotted.
In recent months, illegal drone flights have disrupted services at several German airports. Suspicions are directed at Russia, but no evidence has been provided.
Earlier this month, the head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Holger Munch, said that more than 1,000 suspicious drone flights had been recorded in Germany since the beginning of the year. The incidents are most often related to military installations and airports, but also other critical infrastructure such as defense companies and port facilities.