Germany’s Munich airport reopened on Friday morning after shutting overnight due to drone sightings that forced air traffic control to halt flights, leading to 17 cancellations and multiple diversions on the eve of German Reunification Day.

A Reuters witness saw passengers checking in for a flight to Varna, Bulgaria, as operations resumed, with the airport’s departure board showing only a few cancellations. A flight from Bangkok was the first to land at around 5:25 a.m. (0325 GMT), according to the airport’s website.

The airport confirmed that several drones were sighted above its airspace late on Thursday, prompting authorities to suspend operations. Nearly 3,000 passengers were affected, with many provided camp beds, blankets, and food. Fifteen flights were diverted to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt.

A police spokesman told newspaper Bild that the drones were seen in the dark, making their size and type impossible to determine. Police did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Broader security concerns

The incident adds to growing concerns over the vulnerability of Europe’s critical infrastructure, coming just a week after drone-related disruptions temporarily closed airports in Denmark and Norway.

EU leaders responded sharply, backing anti-drone measures during a summit in Copenhagen on Wednesday. “Europe must be able to defend itself,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested Russia may be attempting to sow division through such incidents. “Russia tries to test us. But Russia also tries to sow division and anxiety in our societies,” she said. Moscow has denied involvement, with President Vladimir Putin joking on Thursday that he “would not fly drones over Denmark anymore.”

A tense week for Munich

The airport disruption capped an already uneasy week in Munich. The city’s Oktoberfest was briefly shut down due to a bomb threat, and explosives were separately discovered in a residential building in the north of the city.

Friday marks German Reunification Day, a public holiday, intensifying the impact of the airport shutdown during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.