Airport runway closed in Germany over bomb fears after drone 'with detonator' is found near Ukrainian cargo plane

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 04:24 EDT, 5 August 2026 | Updated: 04:25 EDT, 5 August 2026 A German airport was forced to close its runway after a drone that appears to be carrying a detonator was found near a Ukrainian plane.The drone, which investigators have classified as a possible explosive device, was reportedly discovered close to a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport late last night.The southern runway of the airport, which serves as a major hub for logistics group DHL, remained closed while specialists examined the object using explosives-disposal technology.German airports are on high alert after a series of unauthorized drone overflights at sites including military facilities, energy terminals, seaports and logistics companies. Authorities were also investigating reports of an unidentified flying object potentially linked to the incident last night.A cargo plane is believed to have had to abort its landing and go around before colliding with an unidentified object at an altitude of around 1,300ft (400metres) six kilometres away from the airport, according to German newspaper Bild.Minor damage was discovered to the front of the plane when it landed at Hanover airport. Bomb disposal experts were dispatched shortly after the drone's discovery at Leipzig/Halle Airport around midnight last night near the parked plane. Leipzig/Halle Airport (pictured) was forced to close its runway after a drone that appears to be carrying a detonator was found near a Ukrainian planeThe drone was reported to be carrying an unknown substance with a detonator and the German Federal Police planned a remotely controlled detonation of the object with a robot.It is not yet clear whether the detonation took place but police are believed to be continuing their investigations into the incident.Several aircraft were diverted overnight, including a passenger flight from Mallorca which was redirected to Nuremberg Airport, but operations were back to normal in the morning.The incident has been classified as a state security offense by police in Lower Saxony, with a possibility of a sabotage attack not ruled out. Germany's federal police have warned that the overflights could have been organised by Russian agents.Russia has denied any involvement in the incidents.In May, Munich Airport halted all flights after a possible drone sighting, just one day after a Russian drone hit an apartment block in Romania.Munich Airport again was forced to close last October after several 'military' drones were spotted hovering over the travel hub.Federal police confirmed the drone sightings, but said no information on the type and size of the devices could be provided. That same week, German authorities said that they were investigating claims that unidentified drones may have spied on critical infrastructure in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein. Multiple drones were spotted on September 25 over a power plant in the state capital of Kiel, as well as near a university hospital and a shipyard in the port city, according to German news outlet Der Spiegel.