Explosive-Laden Drone Found at Leipzig/Halle Airport; Interior Minister Warns of 'Hybrid Attack'
German authorities are investigating after an explosive-laden drone was discovered on the airfield at Leipzig/Halle Airport, causing flight disruptions and prompting a high-level security response.
According to reports, an airport employee found the drone near a Ukrainian cargo plane on Tuesday night. The device was examined and its detonator was successfully removed. The incident led to the suspension of flights at the airport, with several planes diverted to other destinations.
In a separate but related development, a cargo plane that had to abort its landing due to the airport closure collided with a second unidentified flying object during the night. The aircraft later landed in Hanover, where minor damage was discovered on board.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as a "hybrid attack scenario" and did not rule out the involvement of "foreign states." He cut short a vacation in Italy to participate in a top-level security briefing on the matter.
The German Federal Prosecutor General's Office has taken over the investigation into the drone incident, indicating the seriousness with which authorities are treating the case.
Experts have noted that the drone was equipped with 5G antennas, suggesting it was controlled via mobile communications rather than a simple consumer model. Drone expert Christian Kaiser told ZDF that such technology represents a "worst-case scenario for detection," as the pilot could operate the device from a remote location using an internet connection.
Police in the eastern state of Saxony are also searching for a second unidentified object that may have struck the cargo aircraft during the aborted landing.
Authorities have not released further details about the ongoing investigation, but the incident has raised concerns about the vulnerability of civil aviation to drone-based threats.