German police say a drone carrying an explosive device caused chaos at Leipzig/Halle Airport in the early hours of Wednesday, August 5, forcing flights to be suspended and some aircraft to be rerouted.
According to a statement from the Saxony police, an airport employee discovered the drone in a secure area near the south runway where freight flights operate. As part of the investigation, a bomb disposal robot was deployed to the scene and the detonator on the drone was safely removed.
Police reported that a second unidentified flying object collided with a cargo plane, which had to abort its landing due to the runway closure. The aircraft sustained minor damage and eventually landed safely at Hannover Airport.
Due to the discovery of a drone before midnight, flight operations at Leipzig/Halle Airport were temporarily halted. After inspection, the north runway was reopened at 1:55 am on Wednesday, while the south runway, a key hub for the logistics group DHL, remains closed.
Authorities stated that several aircraft, including a passenger plane, were forced to divert to other airports.
Following the discovery of the explosive device, the state prosecutor’s office in Germany has taken over the investigation, collaborating with the Saxony State Office of the Protection of the Constitution (ZESA) and the police’s Counterterrorism and Extremism Prevention Center (PTAZ) in conducting a joint inquiry.