Explosive-laden drone discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport, runways briefly closed

A drone equipped with an unknown explosive device was discovered near the south runway of Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany, officials said Wednesday. The object was identified by an airport employee and examined by police, who removed its detonator and used a robot to ensure it was safe.

Both runways at the freight hub were closed shortly before midnight after the sighting, prompting the diversion of several flights, including a passenger aircraft. The north runway reopened after about two hours, while the south runway was already scheduled for maintenance.

"The drone was carrying explosives – that is a new quality of danger," German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters after traveling to the site.

"Drone sightings and threats are known from the past, but a drone armed with explosives at an airport is a new threat scenario," he added.

The interior minister described the incident as a "hybrid attack scenario" but did not provide details on the explosives, the drone's origin or any suspected perpetrators, noting that the investigation is ongoing. Saxony’s regional interior minister Armin Schuster said authorities are searching for parts of a possible second drone.

Police reported that a second flying object collided with a freight aircraft after the plane aborted its landing due to the runway closure. The aircraft subsequently landed safely at Hannover Airport, where only minor damage was found.

NATO confirmed awareness of the incident and referred further inquiries to German authorities. The airport, a major cargo hub that hosts Ukrainian Antonov transport planes, had previously experienced an incendiary device attack earlier in 2024, which Western officials suspect was linked to Russian intelligence.