Bus driver knocks explosive drone from the sky at NATO hub airport
A bus driver at Leipzig/Halle airport kicked an explosive-laden drone out of the air, causing it to crash and likely preventing an attack, a senior lawmaker said.
A bus driver stationed at Leipzig/Halle airport observed a low-altitude drone carrying professional explosives and a detonator and physically kicked it away, causing it to crash nearby, senior CDU lawmaker Detlef Seif reported. Federal prosecutors have launched a counter-terrorism probe, saying the device could have endangered the airport, which functions as a key NATO strategic airlift hub and hosts logistics firms such as DHL.
The wreckage was discovered close to several Ukrainian Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft, among the world’s largest freighters. Saxony interior minister Armin Schuster commended the driver’s courageous act while cautioning that it should not be imitated. Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a call with interior minister Alexander Dobrindt and other cabinet members to review the incident. Russian officials have not responded, and the driver’s identity remains undisclosed.
Why it matters
It shows a critical security breach at a major NATO logistics hub that was averted by a civilian's quick action.
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