- An unidentified flying object hit a cargo plane at a German airport on Wednesday as the discovery of a drone carrying an explosive device disrupted flights.
- A second, unidentified flying object collided with a cargo plane after it aborted its landing because the runway was closed; the plane sustained minor damage and landed safely at Hannover airport.
- An airport staff member found the drone in a secure area near the airport’s south runway; a bomb disposal robot was deployed and the detonator was removed.
An unidentified flying object collided with a cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport, leading to significant disruptions. The incident occurred after a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered, prompting a police investigation and the temporary suspension of flight operations.1
The drone was found in a secure area near the airport's south runway, leading to the deployment of a bomb disposal robot to remove the detonator. Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster described the situation as a “very serious security incident.” Following the discovery, authorities suspended flights, with the north runway reopening later that night while the south runway remained closed.34
A second unidentified flying object also collided with a cargo plane that had to abort its landing due to the runway closure, resulting in minor damage. German state prosecutors have taken over the investigation, working alongside counter-terrorism police and the Central Office for Extremism Saxony (ZESA).2
Germany has heightened its alert status due to a series of unauthorized drone activities near sensitive sites, including military bases and airports. Peter R Neumann, a professor of Security Studies, noted that these incidents have increased since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, suggesting a potential link to Russian agents.
Authorities have not provided further details, but Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany Oleksii Makeiev implied that Russia could be involved, stating, “Who else could it be but Russia?” The situation underscores ongoing security concerns in the region.
“An airport staff member found the drone in a secure cargo area near the south runway, and a bomb disposal robot removed its detonator. A second unidentified flying object hit a cargo plane after its landing was aborted, causing minor damage before a safe landing at Hannover airport.”
