On the night of August 5, a drone carrying a package containing a detonator was found near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Investigators classified the discovery as a possible explosive device and have not ruled out sabotage.
This was reported by Bild.
The drone was found on the ground shortly before midnight. According to the outlet, an unknown substance with a detonator was attached to it.
The device was lying directly beside the Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane. Federal police sent bomb disposal experts to the scene and planned to carry out a controlled detonation of the suspicious object.
A remotely operated robot was used to neutralize it. It is unclear whether the controlled detonation took place. The airport’s cargo area is separated from the apron used for passenger aircraft.
After the alarm was raised, flights were immediately suspended and air traffic was diverted. One cargo plane was forced to abort its landing and go around.
According to Bild, shortly afterwards another cargo plane collided with an unknown object at an altitude of 400 metres, about six kilometres from the airport. It landed in Hanover, where minor damage was found to its front section.
Police in Lower Saxony classified the incident as a state security offence. Possible sabotage has not been ruled out. The drone operator has not yet been found.
Airport operations were suspended until 1:55 a.m. The southern runway was closed and had not reopened by morning because of the investigation. The airport itself, however, was not closed, and air traffic was running smoothly in the morning.
