Drone Sighting Halts Flights at Medellín's José María Córdova Airport for 17 Minutes
Why It MattersRecurring drone sightings near Colombian airports highlight growing airspace-security risks for regional aviation amid a broader rise in drone incidents nationwide.
Colombia's civil aviation authority, Aerocivil, suspended all flight operations at José María Córdova International Airport in Rionegro, which handles international traffic for Medellín, for approximately 17 minutes on the night of Saturday, 10 October, after a drone was spotted near the runway. Aerocivil announced the suspension at 10:28 p.m., saying it had activated its established safety protocol to verify the situation, and operations resumed at 10:45 p.m. after authorities completed an area check. Aerocivil stated that after the presence of a drone, the verification of the area and the application of operational safety protocols were completed successfully together with the competent authorities.
While Aerocivil's official timeline covers 17 minutes, passengers and a regional outlet reported disruptions beginning around 9 p.m., including at least one diverted flight to Bogotá and several delayed departures. Neither Aerocivil nor Airplan, the private concessionaire that operates the airport, has published a count of affected flights. Aerocivil has not disclosed who flew the drone, where it was launched, or whether anyone was detained.
The incident follows a similar event on 5 August 2025, when an unauthorised drone near José María Córdova halted operations for more than an hour, affecting 34 flights, four of which were cancelled and eight diverted. No link between Saturday's airport drone and any armed group has been reported.
