On Air Now

Darren Lethem

6:00pm - 10:00pm

  • 01723 336444

Now Playing

Bruno Mars

I Just Might

Download

Drone with explosive device found near Ukraine cargo jet at Leipzig airport

A drone carrying an explosive device has been found at a German airport after reports of a flying object closed both runways.

The alert at Leipzig/Halle began late on Tuesday night and an anti-explosives robot was sent to check an object near the southern runway.

Police and prosecutors said they found a drone with "an unknown explosive device" and that experts had removed its detonator.

Photos showed police and the robot near one of Ukraine's huge Antonov cargo jets. Germany's Bild news site said the drone was found lying close to the plane.

The Antonov jets are famous for their huge size, with one of the most famous examples destroyed in the early days of the Ukraine war.

Meanwhile, another cargo aircraft - believed to be owned by DHL - was hit by an object as it climbed away from Leipzig after diverting last night.

Slight damage was found to the plane when it landed in Hannover. Investigations into what the object was are ongoing.

German airports are on high alert after a series of drone sightings over sensitive sites - including military facilities, energy terminals, seaports and logistics companies.

Counter-terror officers are investigating Tuesday's incident and interior minister Alexander Dobrindt held an ‌emergency with Germany's security services on Wednesday night.

Read more from Sky News:
Funeral held for 112 under Gaza rubble
Rescued Briton 14th to die in wildfires

It comes after an investigation found a number of incendiary devices had been hidden in parcels that caught fire in 2024, including one incident at a DHL depot in Birmingham.

Western securty services blamed Russian intelligence, though the country denied responsibility for those incidents, as well as for the recent drone sightings

Leipzig - a key cargo hub in eastern Germany - reopened its northern runway about two hours after the security alert. The southern runway was scheduled to close for maintenance on Wednesday.

Sky News

(c) Sky News 2026: Drone with explosive device found near Ukraine cargo jet at Leipzig airport

Want to See More from This is the Coast?

Click here to set This is the Coast as a preferred source on Google search.

Love living on the Yorkshire Coast? So do we.

This is the Coast is 100% locally owned and operated. We don’t rely on public funding or government grants—we rely on our community.

Producing trusted, fact-checked local news takes time and resources. If you value having a dedicated team of professional journalists fighting for our region, please consider supporting us.

Help keep the Yorkshire Coast informed for the price of a coffee a month.

Support Local Journalism Today

More from Top Stories

Follow Us

Get Our Apps

Our Apps are now available for iOS, Android and Smart Speakers.

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play
  • Just ask Amazon Alexa
  • Available on Roku

Today's Weather

  • Scarborough

    Sunny

    High: 21°C | Low: 13°C

  • Filey

    Sunny intervals

    High: 22°C | Low: 13°C

  • Whitby

    Sunny intervals

    High: 22°C | Low: 12°C

  • Bridlington

    Sunny intervals

    High: 23°C | Low: 12°C

  • Hornsea

    Sunny intervals

    High: 22°C | Low: 12°C

  • Driffield

    Sunny intervals

    High: 23°C | Low: 12°C

News