German authorities have confirmed that a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport, prompting a security operation and renewed concerns over unauthorized drone activity around sensitive infrastructure.
The device was found overnight in the airport’s cargo operations area, according to Saxony police. Authorities deployed a bomb-disposal robot to examine the drone before a specialist unit from the Federal Police removed the detonator from the explosive device.
A second unidentified object was also reported to have struck a cargo aircraft that had departed from Leipzig/Halle Airport later in the day. The aircraft landed in Hanover, where authorities found minor damage.
A police spokesperson told the BBC that the drone discovered at the airport had been spotted near Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft that were parked at the facility.
The incident comes amid a series of unauthorized drone flights reported in Germany in recent months. Drones have been detected over sensitive sites including military bases, airports, energy facilities, ports and logistics companies.
German airports have been placed on heightened alert, while the Federal Police has warned that some of the drone activity could potentially be linked to Russian intelligence operations. Authorities have not publicly established who was responsible for the device discovered at Leipzig/Halle.
The Federal Police’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit was brought in to secure the device, while airport operations were partially disrupted.
Flights on the northern runway have since resumed, but the southern runway, which serves as an important hub for logistics company DHL, remains closed.
Saxony Interior Minister Armin Schuster described the incident as a “very serious security incident,” underscoring growing concerns over the potential use of drones to disrupt or attack critical infrastructure.
Investigators are continuing to examine the device and the circumstances surrounding its discovery, while authorities are also assessing whether the incident is connected to the broader pattern of unexplained drone activity across Germany.
