Drone Scare Disrupts Flights at Germany's Leipzig Airport, Investigation Underway

Flights at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport were disrupted overnight after a drone was spotted near the airfield and a suspicious object was found close to one of the runways, triggering a major security operation.

The incident happened shortly before midnight on Tuesday. Police diverted several flights, including a passenger aircraft, while bomb disposal experts used a remote controlled robot to examine the object near the airport's south runway. Authorities have not confirmed what the object was, saying the investigation is still ongoing.

German Interior Ministry spokesperson Leonard Kaminski later confirmed that the flying object was a drone. However, he declined to comment on reports that it had been found near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane and may have carried explosives and a detonator. Those reports have appeared in German media but have not been officially confirmed.

Officials also said an aircraft trying to land at Leipzig/Halle appeared to hit an unidentified object during its approach. The crew safely aborted the landing and diverted the plane to Hannover Airport. No injuries were reported, and authorities have not released details about any damage.

Flight operations on the airport's north runway resumed shortly before 2 am, but the south runway remained closed on Wednesday as police continued their investigation. Authorities said there was no immediate danger to the public.

Leipzig/Halle is one of Europe's busiest cargo airports and serves as a base for Ukrainian Antonov transport aircraft. The airport has faced security concerns before. In 2024, an incendiary device caught fire at a logistics centre there in a case Western officials suspected was linked to Russian intelligence. Authorities said they have found no confirmed connection between that incident and the latest security scare.