On 1 August 2024, seven climate activists from the “Letzte Generation” (“Last Generation”) movement illegally entered the grounds of Leipzig/Halle Airport. They cut through the outer security fence in three separate places and entered the airport’s restricted area. Five of the activists managed to glue themselves to the taxiways, while two others were detained before they were able to do so. Thus, as early as 2024, there was a documented case in which unauthorized individuals managed to breach the secured perimeter at night and gain direct access to the airside area of Leipzig/Halle Airport. Against this background, particular attention should be paid to an account given to me by an airport employee concerning another incident — one involving a drone. His account differs significantly from the version presented in the media. According to him, everything happened at night during the loading of a cargo aircraft in the Vorfeld 2 area, where, among other things, DHL aircraft are serviced and Antonov aircraft are located. Airport employees had noticed drones in the vicinity of the airport before. Near the S8a road, which runs along the perimeter of the airport, there is an emergency gate and a location offering a good view of the runway. At night, aviation spotters occasionally stand there photographing aircraft taking off and landing. According to the source, drones had also been seen in this area on numerous occasions, although they normally did not approach people or aircraft at close range. This time, however, the situation was different. During the loading operation, a small drone began circling near the cargo aircraft and then hovered directly next to an employee. According to the source, none of those present saw where exactly it had come from. When the device came close enough, the employee lowered it to the ground and pinned it down with his hand, damaging its propellers. He then reported over the radio that the drone was on the ground. It is what happened next that the source considers extremely strange. According to him, within just a few minutes, police officers, bomb-disposal specialists, firefighters, television crews and bomb-disposal equipment, including a specialized robot, appeared at the scene. The employee says that the speed of their arrival has raised questions among airport staff. The airport is located approximately 20 kilometres from Leipzig, and it is not possible to simply drive up to the terminal and enter the restricted airfield area. To gain access, outsiders are required to pass through security checks and obtain the appropriate permit, including a temporary Tagesausweis. According to the source’s estimate, the process of obtaining authorization and passing through the checkpoint alone takes time. He therefore does not understand how a specialized team, a television crew and heavy equipment could have reached the airfield itself almost immediately after the radio report. The source particularly strongly disputes reports that the device allegedly carried explosives or a detonator. According to him, the employee who brought the drone down with his own hands did not see either a detonator or any explosive material attached to it. The source also claims that photographs subsequently published in the media showing the drone with explosive material next to it do not correspond to what airport employees initially saw at the scene. The reference to Czech-made Semtex also raised particular suspicions for him. According to the source, the drone itself was a small, inexpensive consumer device intended primarily for photography and video recording. He doubts that such a device could have carried any significant additional payload at all According to the source, after seeing the news reports, the employee who personally brought the drone down was outraged by the way the incident had been presented to the public, but is unable to speak openly because he fears losing his job ⤵️