Explosive-Laden Drone Found Near Ukrainian Aircraft at Leipzig Airport

A drone fitted with explosives and a detonator was discovered in the early hours of Wednesday near a Ukrainian Antonov transport aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport in the German state of Saxony. A NATO spokesperson confirmed the drone had been secured and that German authorities are leading the investigation. Germany's Federal Interior Ministry also confirmed the find, which was first reported by the German tabloid Bild.

Airport Operations Suspended Overnight

Leipzig/Halle Airport suspended all flight operations following the incident. Several aircraft were diverted, including a passenger plane from Palma de Mallorca that was rerouted to Nuremberg before returning to Leipzig hours later. The southern runway remained closed for investigators throughout the morning.

According to German security sources, the drone was spotted shortly before midnight near the Ukrainian aircraft. A subsequent X-ray examination reportedly revealed that explosive material and a detonator had been attached to it. Federal police deployed bomb disposal experts and a remote-controlled robot to the scene.

DHL Cargo Plane Reportedly Struck Unknown Object

DHL CEO Tobias Meyer acknowledged the incident had caused noticeable operational disruptions at the airport, which serves as a major logistics hub for DHL. Insider sources indicated that a DHL cargo aircraft may have collided with an unidentified object shortly after takeoff from Leipzig, approximately six kilometres from the airport at an altitude of 400 metres. The aircraft landed safely in Hanover, where minor damage was discovered in the nose section. Whether the object was the suspicious drone remains unclear.

Investigation Under Way

The background and motive behind the incident remain unknown. By Wednesday morning, the airport had partially resumed operations. German authorities and NATO are jointly investigating the origin and purpose of the unmanned device.