Rabat – Spain has asked Moroccan authorities to adjust the flight altitude of drones operating near Melilla after a drone in Moroccan airspace interfered with the landing approach of a commercial aircraft, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported.
The incident took place on the evening of September 22 as the aircraft approached Melilla Airport. According to Spain’s Government Delegation in Melilla, the drone remained on the Moroccan side of the border.
Sources from Spain’s Civil Guard told RTVE that the drone delayed the landing of an Iberia flight after airport control staff detected its presence and alerted authorities. The sources did not provide details on the length of the delay.
Aena, Spain’s airport operator, said the incident did not affect the airport’s overall operations. There were no flight cancellations, and authorities did not close Melilla’s airspace, according to the company.
Spain raises concern over flight operations
The Spanish Government Delegation said its request to Morocco aims to prevent drone activity from affecting commercial flights that arrive at or depart from Melilla.
The issue has particular relevance for Melilla Airport, where low cloud cover can already cause flight delays and cancellations. Spanish authorities have also pointed to the surrounding airspace as one of the factors that complicate efforts to improve the airport’s operations.
The latest incident has brought renewed attention to drone activity around the border between Morocco and the Spanish-occupied city.
Earlier drone incident near Ceuta
The September 22 case was not the first recent incident involving a drone near one of the two territories.
On September 9, Spanish authorities detected another drone near Ceuta during a visit by National Police Director Francisco Pardo and Civil Guard Director Mercedes González.
RTVE reported that the device carried equipment designed to bypass electronic jamming systems. The report did not provide further details about the drone’s operator or the circumstances that led to its detection.
The two incidents have prompted renewed attention to the use of drones near Ceuta and Melilla, where airspace, border security, and commercial connectivity intersect.
