A drone fitted with a suspected detonator was found near a Ukrainian aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport, prompting an overnight runway closure and flight diversions.
Security Alert at Leipzig/Halle
The unmanned aerial vehicle, considered a possible explosive device, was discovered around midnight near a stationary Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane at the airport, which serves as DHL's main freight hub.
Specialist bomb disposal units were dispatched, and the southern runway was immediately closed. German Federal Police used robots to conduct a controlled detonation of the object, which reportedly contained an unidentified substance and a triggering device.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the controlled explosion occurred, and investigations into the security breach are ongoing. Police in Lower Saxony have classified the incident as a state security matter, noting that deliberate sabotage has not been ruled out.
Flight Disruptions
The security incident disrupted regional flights throughout the night. Several inbound flights were redirected to other airports, including a passenger service from Mallorca diverted to Nuremberg Airport. Operations returned to normal by morning.
Separately, authorities are investigating a possibly related aerial incident from the same evening. According to German publication Bild, a cargo plane was forced to abort its landing approach six kilometres from the runway after colliding with an unidentified airborne object at about 1,300 feet. The aircraft landed safely at Hanover Airport, with minor damage to its nose.
Gatwick Fuel Issue Resolved
In a separate development, Gatwick Airport confirmed that a fuel supply issue has been resolved. A warning issued on Sunday had advised pilots to "fuel from outstations if possible" due to an "external fuel supply issue."
The notice, distributed through the Notam system, was set to remain active until 11pm Monday. However, a Gatwick spokesperson said on Monday morning: "Following a temporary technical issue yesterday that impacted fuel supply to the airport, we are pleased to report that the issue has now been resolved. Fuel is flowing as expected, all airlines are operating as normal and passengers should continue to travel as planned. We will continue to monitor the situation closely."
