German official says explosive-fitted drone is ‘new threat’
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Wednesday that the discovery of an explosive device points to a “new threat scenario” facing Germany. File Photo by Christoph Soeder/EPA-EFE
Aug. 6 (UPI) — The Leipzig/Halle Airport in Schkeuditz, Saxony, Germany, resumed flights on Thursday after a drone fitted with an explosive device was discovered there a day before.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Wednesday that the discovery of an explosive device points to a “new threat scenario” facing Germany.
“Drone sightings, drone threats including in a hybrid context, are something we know from the past,” Dobrindt said. “That a drone armed with explosives is at an airport is a new threat scenario. We are dealing with a competition here which may also include foreign powers.”
The drone was discovered near a Ukrainian cargo plane, causing several flights to divert to other airports. In a separate incident, a DHL cargo plane collided with a drone during, causing it to abort its landing.
There were no injuries reported from either incident. The plane that collided with a drone suffered mild damage to its nose.
Germany is the largest national supporter of Ukraine‘s military operations.
“Any speculation on these matters may not be heading in the right direction; could simply be completely wrong,” Dobrindt said. “The priority right now is to investigate in all directions.”
After the explosive device was discovered on the drone, its detonator was safely removed by a bomb disposal robot.
German newspaper Bild reports that a technical malfunction may have been the only thing that stopped the explosive device from detonating.
