German police deployed a bomb disposal robot after a drone carrying explosives was found overnight at Leipzig airport, causing flight diversions. The interior minister warned the incident marks a 'new level of danger' for the country.
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Key facts
- A drone carrying explosives was found near the south runway at Leipzig airport, according to the Guardian and NPR.
- German police deployed a bomb disposal robot to defuse and destroy the device.
- Several flights were diverted, and a DHL cargo plane collided mid-air with an unknown object after aborting its landing before landing safely elsewhere.
- Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as a 'new level of danger' and part of a 'professional hybrid threat scenario.'
- Authorities are investigating whether the thwarted attack could have been planned by a foreign power.
German police deployed a bomb disposal robot after a drone carrying explosives was discovered overnight at Leipzig airport, causing alarm and the diversion of several flights, according to the Guardian.
The device was examined and then defused and destroyed by police. Regional police and prosecutors said an airport employee found the drone near the airport’s south runway with what was described as “an unknown explosive device,” NPR reported.
In a related development, a DHL cargo plane that had been forced to abort its landing at the airport collided with an unknown object mid-air, the Guardian reported. The aircraft later landed safely elsewhere.
Germany’s interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, warned that the discovery marks “a new level of danger” for the country. He said investigators are treating the incident as part of a “professional hybrid threat scenario.”
Authorities said they will investigate whether the thwarted attack could have been planned by a foreign power, according to the Guardian. Leipzig airport is described as a leading shipping and military hub.
A counter-terror team is investigating the incident, the Guardian reported.
Why it matters
An explosives-laden drone found at a major European shipping and military hub raises serious concerns about the vulnerability of critical aviation infrastructure. The interior minister's warning of a 'new level of danger' and a possible foreign-planned 'hybrid threat' signals heightened security fears across Germany.
Frequently asked questions
What happened at Leipzig airport?
An airport employee discovered a drone carrying an unknown explosive device near the south runway. Police deployed a bomb disposal robot to defuse and destroy it, and several flights were diverted.
Was anyone hurt or any aircraft damaged?
The sources do not report any injuries. A DHL cargo plane collided with an unknown object mid-air after aborting its landing, but it later landed safely elsewhere.
Who is suspected of being behind the incident?
According to the Guardian, authorities will investigate whether the thwarted attack could have been planned by a foreign power. The interior minister called it part of a 'professional hybrid threat scenario.'
Timeline
- German airport drone-bomb: Could Russia be involved?
BBC World: The BBC has seen evidence from previous cases that Russian-linked proxies not only handled drones and explosives, but also delivered them to Germany.
- Drone with explosives found at German airport, official sees 'new quality' of threat
NPR News: Regional police and prosecutors said an airport employee discovered a drone near the airport's south runway with "an unknown explosive device," and the object was examined by police
- Drone carrying explosives at German airport marks ‘new level of danger’, says interior minister
The Guardian World: Investigators treating incident as part of ‘professional hybrid threat scenario’, says Alexander Dobrindt Germany’s interior minister has warned that the discovery of a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig airport marks “a new level of danger” for the country, as authorities will
- Bomb disposal robot deployed after drone carrying explosives found at German airport
The Guardian World: Counter-terror team investigating after DHL plane also collided mid-air with unknown object at Leipzig airport Europe live – latest updates German police deployed a bomb disposal robot after a drone carrying explosives was found at Leipzig airport overnight, causing alarm and the