Newsletters
An explosive-laden drone discovered near a Ukrainian cargo aircraft sparked a major security scare overnight at Germany's Leipzig-Halle Airport on Wednesday, forcing officials to suspend flight operations and launch a large-scale bomb disposal operation.
Police and prosecutors said that an airport employee spotted the drone on the apron close to a Ukrainian Antonov AN-124 cargo plane shortly before midnight. Officers later deployed a remote-controlled robot to remove the detonator after securing the area.
Security sources cited by German media indicated the drone carried a package containing explosive material and a detonator. X-ray scans reportedly showed the detonator was defective, preventing the device from exploding.
Federal Police explosives specialists, the Saxony Criminal Police and the airport fire brigade took part in the operation before the device was placed in a secure container for forensic examination.
The incident brought flight operations at the major cargo hub to a standstill, with several cargo and passenger aircraft diverting to other airports.
Flights resumed around 1:55 a.m. local time, although only one runway reopened while investigators continued searching the second for evidence.
During the airport closure, another cargo aircraft that had been forced to abandon its landing approach collided with an unidentified flying object at an altitude of about 400 meters a few kilometers from the airport. The aircraft continued to Hanover, where inspectors later found minor damage to its nose.
Authorities have not determined whether the two incidents are connected. Police in Lower Saxony classified the mid-air collision as a state security case, while investigators said they have not ruled out the possibility of sabotage.
The investigation is being carried out jointly by police in Saxony and Lower Saxony with support from the Federal Police. According to the police union, the airport's drone defense system operated as intended, although officials acknowledged that no system can completely prevent drone attacks.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
