Several flights, including a passenger aircraft, were diverted after two objects were reported near Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport during the night, police said on Wednesday. The disruption began shortly before midnight, when a flying object was sighted close to the airfield. At the same time, police said, another object was found in the area of the airport’s southern runway, which was examined by the federal police. Diversions After Reports Near The AirfieldA police spokesperson, Olaf Hoppe, told Euronews that flights were redirected to other airports following the sighting near the airport shortly before midnight. He said officers would not confirm whether the reported object was a drone. The airport is a major cargo hub, and the incident affected multiple routes during the night. Anti-Explosives Robot Used On Southern RunwayPolice said an anti-explosives robot was deployed to check the other object near the southern runway. Officers did not provide further details about the item or the process. Flights using the other runway resumed shortly before 2am, according to a police statement. However, the southern runway remained closed on Wednesday morning while checks continued. Hoppe said the work by the federal police was almost complete. Cargo Operator Antonov Airlines In AreaPolice said the incident occurred near the cargo aircraft of Ukrainian cargo carrier Antonov Airlines. Leipziger Volkszeitung reported that the firm has increased part of its operations at Leipzig/Halle. The airline has based An-124 cargo aircraft at the airport and is building a new maintenance hangar, with completion scheduled for 2027. Antonov’s original home base at Hostomel was destroyed during the war in Ukraine, after Russian attacks. Other Drone-Related Disruptions In GermanyThe Leipzig/Halle episode follows a series of recent incidents that have disrupted air travel at German airports. In October last year, local media reported that a laser installation was deployed near Munich Airport after suspicious drone sightings led to the airport closing for two consecutive days. In November, flight operations at Berlin Brandenburg Airport were interrupted for about two hours following a drone sighting in its airspace. Germany’s air navigation service DFS said unidentified drones are becoming more frequent in the country’s airspace. It recorded 144 drone overflights last year, with 35 incidents clustered around Frankfurt Airport. Join the discussion? 5 August 2026
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