A suspected drone sighting temporarily shut down Mallorca's airport on the evening of 19 October, disrupting travel during the autumn holiday weekend. Among the passengers caught in the chaos was German party singer Jürgen Milski, whose plane was forced to circle above the island before diverting to Menorca.
The 61-year-old entertainer described the tense moments to BILD: "We were supposed to land in Mallorca. Just before final approach, Palma airport gets closed! So we circle around Palma for about 20 minutes. But we have too little fuel on board and have to get to Menorca quickly to refuel."
Milski, who was scheduled to perform at the Bierkönig venue on the famous Schinkenstraße at 11 pm, added: "After 650 flights toward Mallorca, I thought I'd already experienced everything."
The incident occurred as Milski's aircraft approached for landing. Airport security firm Enaire confirmed the disruption on X, citing the possible sighting of at least one drone, according to reports from Diario de Mallorca and flight tracking portal Flightradar 24.
The airport closure lasted less than an hour, significantly shorter than recent drone-related shutdowns at German airports. However, numerous arrivals and departures continued to face delays of approximately 90 minutes after operations resumed.
Milski's plane managed to return from Menorca shortly before 9 pm., with the singer noting the islands are separated by barely 100 kilometers. Despite the disruption, he maintained his sense of humor, sending BILD an image of Karlsson, the Astrid Lindgren character known as "Drone-Man."
Mallorca's airport handles up to 34 million passengers annually. Enaire advised travelers: "If you are flying, check the status of your flight with your airline."
The Mallorca incident follows a pattern of drone-related disruptions across Europe. Several German airports have experienced multiple shutdowns due to drone sightings in recent weeks, though the Palma closure proved shorter-lived than those precedents.
