German airport resumes flights after explosive drone sighting

SAXONY, Germany – Germany’s Leipzig-Halle airport, a major hub for transporting cargo and military equipment, has completely resumed flight operations after an explosive-laden drone was seen nearby.

Several aircraft, including a passenger plane, were diverted, and part of the airport was closed, but operations are now back to normal, according to the airport. The airport has previously been targeted for espionage and sabotage.

“We must assume this is a very serious security incident,” Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters on Aug 5. “We are dealing with a hybrid attack scenario.”

German news agency DPA reported, citing a NATO spokesperson, that the drone was found near a Ukrainian aircraft on the morning of Aug 5. Leipzig airport is an important base for Ukraine’s Antonov transport planes since Russia invaded the country.

A NATO spokesperson told Bloomberg the organization was aware of the incident and German authorities were investigating.

The airport in Leipzig, in the country’s east, has previously been the target of attacks and espionage attempts. In 2025, a woman was convicted of collecting information about flights, particularly military transports, to help with spying for China.

“A drone armed with explosives being present here on airport grounds is a new threat scenario,” Dobrindt said. BLOOMBERG