Counterterrorism Probe Launched After Drone Found at Leipzig Airport

Airport staff discovered the drone in a restricted zone near the southern runway, forcing the suspension of operations and the diversion of several DHL cargo planes. One of these flights reported striking an unidentified object while climbing away from the airport, sustaining minor damage before landing safely in Hanover. Security teams remain on-site as explosives experts work to dismantle the device, which reports suggest may have been constructed from easily accessible materials like fertilizer and gasoline.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt called an emergency meeting with security chiefs as concerns mount over a pattern of unauthorized drone activity targeting critical infrastructure, including energy terminals and military sites. Federal police have previously suggested that these incursions may be linked to Russian intelligence operations, though officials have not yet confirmed a direct connection between the Leipzig incident and a string of incendiary parcels found in European logistics hubs earlier this year. With the southern runway remaining closed, prosecutors are now leading the inquiry into the potential sabotage of air cargo operations.