Nuremberg Airport Suspends Flights After Suspected Drone Sightings in Germany

Nuremberg Airport in Germany temporarily disrupted flight operations on Tuesday, October 13, after three pilots independently reported seeing an unidentified object that may have been a drone near the airfield. German police launched a search operation, but the reported object could not be confirmed.

The airport, officially known as Albrecht Dürer Airport, initially announced that flight operations had been suspended due to an “aviation emergency.” In a statement on its website, the airport said operations were suspended temporarily and that further information would follow.

According to the airport and local police reports, the suspected drone sightings occurred between 2 am and 4 am local time during takeoffs and landings.

• Three pilots independently reported seeing an unidentified object near Nuremberg Airport.
• The reports were made between 2 am and 4 am on Tuesday, October 13.
• German border police coordinated search efforts with airport officials and German air traffic control.
• A police helicopter was deployed during the search, but authorities could not confirm the presence of a drone.
• Corendon Airlines flight XR456, travelling from Corfu, Greece, to Nuremberg, landed safely, according to the supplied report.

The suspected drone sightings prompted precautionary measures and temporary disruption to air traffic at Nuremberg Airport. The airport said that some flights experienced delays, while two arriving aircraft initially diverted to Cologne and Prague before continuing to Nuremberg.

The incident highlights the potential impact of unidentified objects near airport airspace, where even an unconfirmed sighting can prompt security checks and operational restrictions.

The Nuremberg border police inspectorate is investigating the incident to establish what the pilots saw. Authorities have not confirmed that a drone was present, and the object’s identity remains unclear.