Authorities in Germany launched a counterterrorism investigation after a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered near a runway at Leipzig/Halle Airport late Tuesday night. The airport, located in eastern Germany, temporarily closed both of its runways following the discovery, which prompted flight suspensions and diversions at one of Europe’s largest cargo hubs.
The drone was found by an airport employee in the restricted cargo section close to the southern runway. This area is notable for hosting several Ukrainian cargo aircraft operated by Antonov Airlines, which relocated a significant portion of its fleet, including six large transport planes, to Leipzig since 2006 amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. German authorities did not comment on any direct link between the drone and the presence of the Ukrainian aircraft.
Following the drone’s discovery, explosives experts deployed a specialized robot to examine the device. The unit safely removed the detonator and later destroyed the bomb in a controlled explosion on site. The type of explosives used has not been disclosed. Security officials emphasized that the airport is critical national infrastructure, raising concerns about a possible politically motivated attack, though investigators have yet to confirm a definitive motive.
During the airport closure, a cargo plane operated by DHL was involved in a separate incident. The aircraft aborted its landing at Leipzig due to the closed runways and initiated a go-around maneuver. While performing this, the plane collided mid-air with a second unidentified object, believed to be another drone. The cargo plane was diverted to Hanover, where it landed safely despite sustaining minor damage. Authorities are investigating this mid-air collision as part of the ongoing incident.
Several government agencies, including the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) of Saxony, the Dresden Public Prosecutor General’s Office, and counterterrorism and extremism centers, have taken over the investigation. Germany’s interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, called the event a "hybrid attack scenario" but noted that the origin of the drone remains unclear. He interrupted his vacation to respond to the incident, which has raised security concerns amid heightened tensions in the region.
By early Wednesday, the northern runway at Leipzig/Halle Airport was reopened, while the southern runway remained closed for further inspections. Most airport operations resumed without further disruption. Leipzig/Halle serves as a significant logistics hub supporting supplies to Ukraine and had been the site of a previous suspicious incident earlier in 2024 involving an incendiary device found within cargo.
Authorities have not publicly linked this drone incident to any particular group or state but continue to investigate all aspects, including whether the drone’s presence was politically motivated or part of a broader security threat to German critical infrastructure.