Explosive Drone Found After Plane Collides With Unidentified Flying Object

A German airport suspended flights after a staff member discovered a drone equipped with an explosive device near the runway, before a cargo plane was rerouted after colliding with a second unidentified flying object early Wednesday, police said.

A bomb disposal robot was deployed at the Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany to examine the improvised explosive device before the detonator was removed, the Saxony Police said. (RELATED: Pentagon Seeks New Deal To Replenish Missile Supply As Iran War Rages On)

The cargo plane appeared to have minor damage after it was rerouted to Hannover Airport, police said, adding that there was no danger to the safety of passengers or airport staff and that no passenger flights were rerouted or suspended.

The investigation continues under the Central Office for Extremism Saxony, the Dresden Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Saxony State Criminal Police Office and the Police Terrorism and Extremism Prevention Center, as Saxony Police requested that any witnesses come forward.

“I have complete confidence in the work of the responsible investigative authorities and thank all those involved who brought the situation under control and helped ensure that flight operations could resume,” State Minister of Justice Prof. Constanze Geiert said in a Wednesday afternoon statement.

“Leipzig Airport is part of our critical infrastructure. Attacks on this infrastructure must be prosecuted with the full force and severity of the law enforcement authorities.”

Flights on one runway resumed at 1:55 a.m., an earlier statement said, while the latter statement said passenger air traffic was not affected.

Germany has been responding to unauthorized drone activity over the past few months after several incidents involving drones took place near airports, military sites and other sensitive infrastructure, CNN reported.

Police have also warned that Russian agents could be involved because the airport is often used to transport logistics from Germany and its NATO allies to Ukraine and serves as a base for Antonov Airlines, Ukraine’s largest cargo airline, the BBC reported.

The airport is also a cargo hub for Europe and is one of the few German airports with round-the-clock cargo operations, CNN reported.