German police closed Nuremberg Airport on Tuesday and halted all flights after a suspected air emergency involving a passenger plane arriving from the Greek island of Corfu.
The aircraft sent an emergency code shortly before landing, according to the German news agency dpa. It was escorted through German airspace by Eurofighter jets from the Air Force’s Tactical Air Wing 74, which took off from Neuburg an der Donau. The plane landed safely, an airport spokesperson said.
“We are assuming a suspected air emergency, but it is not yet confirmed,” a police spokesperson said.
Earlier in the morning, three pilots independently reported seeing a possible drone during takeoffs or landings at the airport. Federal police, airport staff and German air traffic control searched the area, assisted by a police helicopter, but did not find a drone. Authorities did not say whether the two incidents were connected.
The disruptions delayed six flights, and two incoming planes were diverted to Cologne and Prague before continuing to Nuremberg. Bus and subway service to the airport was also restricted during the closure.
The incident comes as Germany faces a growing number of drone sightings near airports and military sites, which officials have linked to concerns over Russian hybrid warfare. On Tuesday, German police detained two suspects in the sabotage of a Starlink station in Poland, an attack Warsaw has blamed on Russian intelligence.
