Nuremberg airport closes over aviation emergency on Corfu flight

Summarised from 6 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 12:58 · Archive

Germany's Nuremberg airport suspended all flight operations on Tuesday after a plane from Corfu was escorted by Eurofighter jets and landed safely.

Germany's Nuremberg airport suspended all flight operations on Tuesday after reports of an aviation emergency. The alert was triggered shortly before a Corendon Airlines flight from the Greek island of Corfu landed at the airport at approximately 12.16pm. Police cordoned off the airport and Eurofighter jets escorted the aircraft before it touched down. DW News reports the plane had transmitted an emergency code before landing, alerting air traffic control to a possible problem on board.

The exact nature of the emergency was not immediately specified. Mittelfranken police said they had received 'a report of an unclear air emergency', and a police source told German outlet Bild that officers were assuming 'a possible in-flight emergency', though nothing was confirmed. The airport stated only that flight operations were suspended 'due to an aviation emergency' and that more information would follow.

Police later gave the all-clear. 'On-site checks have revealed that there is no danger,' Central Franconia police said in a statement. An airport spokesperson confirmed that Eurofighter jets were deployed and have since returned to base. No injuries or damage were reported.

The incident followed earlier reports on Tuesday morning of possible drone sightings at the airport. Three pilots independently reported seeing an unidentified object, believed to be a drone, while taking off or landing between 2am and 4am. These reports prompted airport officials, border police and Germany's air traffic control service to launch a search involving a police helicopter, but no drone was found. DW News reports that temporary disruptions to air traffic occurred during this period.

It remained unclear whether the drone sightings and the later emergency were connected. Authorities continued investigations into both incidents.

Several flights were disrupted during the alert. DW News reports that six flights were delayed, while at least two arriving aircraft diverted to other European airports, with planes diverted to Frankfurt, Memmingen, Stuttgart, Munich, Cologne and Prague according to various reports. The Mirror reported that the Special Deployment Commando (SEK) was deployed at the airport during the operation.

The incident is part of a pattern of drone-related security alerts at German airports. DW News notes that in August an explosives-laden drone was found near a runway at Leipzig/Halle airport, prompting a police investigation, and in May a possible drone sighting halted flights at Munich airport for about an hour, forcing more than 20 arriving aircraft to divert, though police found no drone in that case.

How it is being reported

• Flights suspended at Nuremberg Airport after plane raised hijack alarmIt remains unclear why the plane sent out the emergency code and what happened to the pilotThe i Paper · 13 Oct, 13:18
• Germany: Nuremberg airport closed over in-flight emergencyPolice are investigating a suspected in-flight emergency on a Corfu flight. The plane landed safely in Nuremberg after a fighter jet escort.DW News · 13 Oct, 12:47
• Nuremberg Airport suspends all flights as fighter jets escort passenger plane amid 'in-flight emergency'All flight operations at Nuremberg Airport in Germany have been temporarily halted today following reports of an "in-flight emergency". The airport confirmed the suspension in a statement published on its official website, but provided no details about the circumstances surrounding the incident. According to German newspaper Bild, a police source said authorities were considering the possibility of an emergency involving an aircraft in flight. An airport spokesman said Eurofighter jets escorted the plane arriving from the Greek island before it landed. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say MORE…GB News · 13 Oct, 12:10
• Nuremberg Airport cordoned off by police due to 'possible in-flight emergency'Police have sealed off Nuremberg Airport in Germany after a plane arriving from Greece was escorted by Eurofighter jets before it landedThe Mirror · 13 Oct, 12:05
• Germany shuts down Nuremberg airport amid aviation emergencyGermany's Nuremberg airport has suspended all flight operations because of an aviation emergency, it said on Tuesday.Independent World · 13 Oct, 12:00
• Germany's Nuremberg airport is closed due to 'aviation emergency'Germany's Nuremberg airport said on Tuesday that flight operations have been suspended because of an aviation emergency.Daily Mail · 13 Oct, 11:57

In this story: Nuremberg airport · Germany · Corfu · Corendon Airlines · Central Franconia police · Leipzig/Halle airport · Munich airport

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem