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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
New surveillance camera footage shows: the drone in Leipzig did not just end up near the plane, it collided with its wing.
Leipzig Airport in Germany may have been much closer to a large-scale disaster than previously thought. New data from surveillance cameras have changed the picture of the drone incident detected on the airfield, reports Die Zeit.
The recordings cover a large part of the airport. They show a cargo plane Antonov that was parked. Around 19:30 on Tuesday an unknown object was heading straight toward it and ultimately struck the wing.
This detail is particularly important for the investigation, since fuel tanks are located in aircraft wings. At the same time, the drone did not explode. According to the cameras, it bounced off the wing and fell to the ground. Damage marks on the plane confirm this version.
Why the explosive device did not detonate is still unknown. The drone itself was found only about four hours later. It had previously been reported that a bus driver allegedly found it and nudged it with his foot. But the video showed a different picture: the device was already lying on the ground when the man approached it. After a short pause he put his foot on the drone and notified security about the find.
But the explosive was found not on the unmanned vehicle itself, but at some distance from it. Investigators assume it could have detached during the impact with the plane.
The new circumstances significantly change the assessment of the incident. It is now increasingly obvious that the drone may have been directed at the plane specifically to damage or destroy it. The version that it was a kind of “warning” with an armed but supposedly not intended-to-explode drone becomes much less convincing.
According to German media, the drone was custom-built, not purchased as a ready-made device. In addition, it was equipped with powerful Semtex explosives, which are typically used in military contexts.
At the same time, the investigation so far has no evidence of Russia’s involvement. However, the professional method of building the drone, the nature of its equipment, and the circumstances of the attack strengthen the hypothesis of possible participation by a state actor.
For the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany, which is handling the investigation, these recordings have become important new evidence. They show that Leipzig Airport really could have avoided a much more serious tragedy.
As reported, U.S. intelligence linked the explosive-laden drone incident found near the Ukrainian cargo plane An-124 at Leipzig/Halle Airport to Russia.
Explosive drone at Leipzig Airport: Germany revealed new details
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