A DHL cargo aircraft was compelled to execute an emergency landing after colliding with an unidentified object during its ascent from Leipzig airport in Germany. Authorities later discovered a drone on the ground at the airport.
On Wednesday, the German government confirmed the occurrence, which resulted in significant disruptions to air traffic in the region.
The Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation reported that the DHL plane encountered an object while airborne over Leipzig airport before making a safe landing in Hanover. According to the tabloid Bild, minor damage was noted on the aircraft’s nose section.
The logistics firm, which utilizes Leipzig as a key operational hub, acknowledged an “incident” close to the airport that is under investigation by authorities.
Additionally, during the night, a drone was observed in proximity to a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane at Leipzig airport. A NATO representative informed the German news agency DPA that security sources indicated the drone was equipped with explosives and a detonator.
A spokesperson from the interior ministry confirmed that a drone was located at the airport but refrained from providing further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
As a result of the incidents, several flights, including a passenger aircraft from Mallorca, were rerouted, with operations in the northern section of the airport resuming only two hours later. The southern runway, where the drone was discovered, remained closed. Police deployed a bomb disposal robot to investigate the object and were looking into a potential connection between the incidents.
Germany and various other European nations have experienced numerous suspicious unauthorized drone flights over airports, military installations, ports, and logistics centers. Officials have attributed some of these incidents to Russian operatives, a claim that Moscow has consistently denied.
European security agencies have been examining incendiary devices hidden in parcels, which ignited in 2024, raising alarms about potential sabotage targeting air cargo operations. Some of these devices were located at a DHL warehouse in Leipzig and within freight shipments traveling across Europe.
The spokesperson for the German interior ministry declined to comment on any potential links between the recent incident and the 2024 Leipzig case.
Tobias Meyer, the CEO of DHL, stated that the company is reviewing the events. “We have protocols in place for situations like this, and we will strive to minimize any impact on our customers,” he mentioned during a quarterly earnings call, as reported by Reuters.
Germany stands as the largest single national contributor of military assistance to Ukraine and has accused Russia of orchestrating a campaign involving sabotage, espionage, and disinformation against the country, a claim that the Kremlin has rejected.
Last year, a Chinese national was convicted for leaking information regarding flight schedules and cargo movements at Leipzig-Halle airport to an individual who was spying for Beijing.
