Drone with explosives found at German airport, official sees 'new quality' of threat

A drone carrying explosives was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany and the device was defused, authorities said Wednesday, in an incident officials called a “new quality of danger.” Both runways at the major freight hub were closed shortly before midnight Tuesday after an object was spotted nearby; several flights, including a passenger plane, were diverted to other airports. An anti-explosives robot checked an object near the south runway. Regional police and prosecutors later said an airport employee found a drone with an “unknown explosive device” and that investigators removed its detonator. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the scenario was “a new threat scenario.” Authorities were also searching for parts of a possible second drone after an apparent second object collided with a freight airplane during the aborted landing.