After a drone was found in Leipzig: Air traffic continues without restrictions

Following the discovery of an explosive-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport, air traffic is operating without restrictions. Although the northern runway has been closed since early afternoon due to a police operation, operations are continuing uninterrupted on the “southern runway,” according to a spokesperson. 

One passenger plane diverted during closure

According to reports, passenger traffic has not been affected since early Wednesday morning, when the complete suspension of operations at the airport was lifted. Only one delayed passenger plane was affected by the nearly two-hour nighttime closure. It was diverted to Nuremberg.

According to reports, the “south runway” was reopened on Wednesday evening. There, an airport employee had discovered the drone carrying the explosive device during the night leading into Wednesday. According to security sources, it was located near a Ukrainian Antonov AN-124 Condor transport aircraft. Specialists from the Federal Police defused the explosive device. 

Police operation on the North Runway

After the drone was found, a second unidentified flying object reportedly collided with a cargo plane at the airport; the plane had taken off again due to the runway closure. The aircraft landed in Hanover.

In the immediate vicinity of the “North Runway,” police were on the scene with about 20 vehicles, as observed by a reporter from the German Press Agency. The Dresden State Prosecutor’s Office, which has jurisdiction over the case, did not confirm that police forces were searching there for the second, as yet unidentified, flying object.