Key Facts

• A drone with an explosive device was discovered near the south runway at Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany.
• The drone was found close to a Ukrainian-flagged Antonov cargo plane used for military transport.
• Airport runways were closed, and several flights, including passenger and cargo planes, were diverted.
• A DHL cargo plane aborted a landing and hit an unknown object mid-air but landed safely with minor damage.
• Authorities deployed a bomb disposal robot to examine and remove the detonator from the drone.
• The airport is an important hub for military and NATO cargo, as well as for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines.
• Ukrainian officials suspected Russia might be behind the drone incident.
• Regular airport operations resumed on the northern runway after early morning investigations.