Internal Security: Explosive Drone in Leipzig: Semtex Involved
After the drone was found at Leipzig/Halle Airport, investigations are running at full speed. A lot is still unclear. One thing is clear, however: The man who discovered the drone was extremely lucky.
The discovery of a bomb-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport has sparked extensive investigations. Many questions remain unanswered, and the General Public Prosecutor's Office has taken the lead in clarifying the details. Various countries are calling for improved protection of airports. The employee who found the drone in the early hours of Wednesday night has been fortunate.
He managed to eliminate the explosive device by stepping on it, bringing it to the ground. According to the State Criminal Office of Saxony, he noticed the drone near a Ukrainian Antonov AN-124 Condor aircraft on the southern landing strip. Specialists from the Federal Police de-activated the explosive device. It has been confirmed that semtex and PETN were used in the explosive charge.
Semtex, a plastic explosive, is used in commercial blasting and was involved in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that brought down a transatlantic flight over Scotland. Air traffic was largely halted on the northern runway of the airport on Thursday. Police were in direct proximity to the northern runway, with around 20 vehicles involved.
The State Public Prosecutor's Office in Dresden confirmed that a second unknown object collided with a DHL aircraft that night. However, they stated that the search would continue. Flights resumed on the southern runway after the drone's discovery. This strip had been closed after the drone was found near a Ukrainian Antonov AN-124 Condor aircraft.
Specialists from the Federal Police de-activated the explosive device with a primer. Speculations that the Ukrainian transporters might have loaded munitions were refuted. The airport authorities confirmed that the Antonov aircraft were empty at the time of the incident. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) spoke of a "new kind of danger" and a "hybrid attack scenario."
The Federal Prosecution Office declared the incident a "serious attack on Germany's transport and logistics infrastructure," stating it threatened the country's external and internal security. The Federal Criminal Police, the Federal Police, the Federal Aviation Authority, and the Federal Security Service are currently coordinating their efforts to counter hybrid threats.
A Dresden aviation expert, Hartmut Fricke, classified the incident as a new dimension of threat to critical infrastructure. Unlike previous drone incidents, this one posed a significant risk due to the presence of an explosive device. This highlights the need for improved detection of such small objects near critical infrastructure, both in terms of available technology and response speed.
The number of drone sightings at German airports has increased significantly in the first half of 2026. Out of 166 incidents, 28 were reported at Berlin's Brandenburg Airport and 27 at Frankfurt's main airport. In Leipzig/Halle, 18 unauthorized aircraft were detected. Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) emphasized that these incidents usually involve improper use by private pilots on Wednesday night.
However, he added that it was not the case this time. Several Interior Ministers are calling for better protection of airports and more authority for operators of critical infrastructure. The EU Green Party is demanding a joint meeting of European transport ministers.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
