A BRIT holiday hotspot has closed a major airport after mysterious drones were spotted hovering near the runway.
Police were called to the scene and flights from the UK were delayed following chaos at Alicante-Elche airport in eastern Spain on Monday night.
The ordeal sparked chaos among confused passengers who were told their flights had been delayed.
Nine planes were diverted after being alerted to suspicious drone sightings, authorities said.
Currently, the departure and arrival of planes is prohibited.
Local aeronautical authorities said on social media: “Due to the presence of a drone in the vicinity of the Alicante Elche Miguel Hernández airport, flight diversions are taking place.”
They added: “We are working with law enforcement to get operations back to normal as quickly as possible.
“Check the status of your flight with your airline.”
They confirmed that flights from London, Manchester, Newcastle, Durham and Frankfurt had been diverted until 11pm local time.
Planes have been diverted to nearby airports, including Valencia, Murcia and Palma de Mallorca.
Police have also launched an investigation to investigate the full circumstances of the ordeal.
Police have deployed a specialist aerial unit in an attempt to locate the drones.
