A major European airport had to temporarily close one of its runways due to a unique incident involving a drone. The Polderbaan runway at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam was shut down for 45 minutes around 12:10 pm after a drone was spotted flying at an altitude of approximately 150 meters. During a YouTube livestream by aviation enthusiasts, a pilot from Transavia Airlines reported that the drone came within about 50 meters of their aircraft.

Law enforcement authorities, including a helicopter, launched an operation to locate the drone and its operator, but both remained elusive. A spokesperson from the Royal Marechaussee, the military police, described the situation as “quite unique,” suggesting that the drone operator was likely flying the device as a hobby.

Although the drone was believed to be small and posed no immediate danger to air traffic, flights were redirected to an alternate runway as a precautionary measure. The Royal Marechaussee spokesperson informed RTL Nieuws that air traffic was diverted from the Polderbaan to the Zwanenburgbaan for safety reasons during the incident.

While this episode seems to be attributed to recreational drone use, recent days have seen more concerning incidents in various European countries. The Danish Defence Ministry reported sightings of drones near multiple defense facilities, including Danish airports, leading to temporary closures. Reports from local media indicated drone activity near the Karup Air Base, the largest military base in Denmark.

Tensions have escalated in Denmark as numerous unconfirmed drone sightings have been reported by citizens, prompting authorities to urge the public to report any suspicious activity to the police. The repeated drone incidents at Danish airports have raised security concerns in northern Europe amidst heightened tensions due to increased Russian aggression.