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Alicante Airport Reopens After Drone Sighting Halts Flights

Investigators are focused on locating a drone near Torrellano.

Overview

  • Aena suspended operations shortly before 9 p.m. on October 27 after drones were detected near Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, stopping all takeoffs and landings.
  • Traffic restarted around 22:52–23:00 local time, beginning with an AirEuropa departure, after nearly two hours of closure.
  • Overnight updates reported ten inbound flights diverted: seven to Valencia, and one each to Murcia, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.
  • Five UK-origin services were among the diversions, including Ryanair flights from Manchester, London Stansted and Newcastle, an easyJet flight from Liverpool, and a Jet2 service from Manchester.
  • Police deployed a specialist aerial unit to search the Torrellano area, investigations continue with no operator identified, passengers face knock-on delays, and Spanish law bans drones near airports with fines up to €225,000.