Overview
- Airport staff and police repeatedly spotted an unidentified flying object over Hannover-Langenhagen during the early hours of Tuesday and authorities paused takeoffs and landings several times until normal service resumed around 05:20.
- Witnesses last saw the object about 04:40 and a cargo plane inbound from Paris was diverted while multiple passenger departures were delayed.
- An internal police report says neither Bundespolizei drone detectors nor Deutsche Flugsicherung systems registered the object, raising questions about gaps in detection or use of non‑standard technology.
- The Bundespolizei said Hannover’s polizeilicher Staatsschutz of the Central Criminal Investigation Department has taken over the investigation and is considering, but has not confirmed, the possibility of 'hybrid' interference.
- Authorities stress there is no proven link so far to the explosive‑equipped drone found at Leipzig/Halle on August 5, yet the two incidents have increased scrutiny of airport counter‑drone defenses and coordination between security agencies.