Flights at Berlin Brandenburg Airport were temporarily halted for nearly two hours on Friday due to sightings of unidentified drones. This incident marks the second such occurrence in Germany within a short span, following a similar event at Munich airport last month.

Operations were suspended from 8:08 PM to 9:58 PM, leading to the diversion of numerous flights to other German cities. To alleviate the impact on air travel, the airport relaxed its ban on night flights. A spokesperson stated, "We assume that the danger has been averted for the time being."

The drone sightings were first reported by an airport official over the northern runway, prompting an emergency declaration. A police helicopter and patrol car were dispatched to locate the drones, but the pilot of the drone remained unidentified. The situation caused delays for flights to various destinations, including Basel, Oslo, and Barcelona. A flight from London to Berlin was redirected to Hamburg due to the drone activity.

This incident is part of a worrying trend, as drones have been spotted over critical infrastructure and military sites across Europe, including Denmark, Norway, and Poland, leading to flight suspensions. German authorities have expressed increasing concern over the potential threats posed by drones, with Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt calling for enhanced measures to address this issue.

In recent months, multiple drone sightings have disrupted air travel and raised alarms about security at airports and sensitive locations in Germany. Last month, drone activity at Munich airport resulted in the grounding of nearly 20 flights, affecting around 3,000 passengers. The growing frequency of these incidents has prompted discussions on improving detection and response capabilities against such aerial threats.