A DHL cargo plane was forced to make an emergency landing after colliding with an unknown object while climbing away from Germany’s Leipzig airport. The German government confirmed the incident on Wednesday, which led to serious disruption of air traffic.
Police later found a drone on the ground at Leipzig airport. The Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation stated the DHL aircraft hit something above Leipzig airport before safely landing in Hanover, with minor damage to its nose section reported.
The southern runway at Leipzig airport, where the drone was found, remained closed. Several aircraft, including a passenger plane from Mallorca, were diverted, and operations in the northern part of the airport resumed two hours later.