Nuremberg Airport Closes, Jets Escort Passenger Plane

Nuremberg Airport halted flights on October 13, 2026, after Corendon Airlines XR 456 from Corfu sent an emergency code. German Air Force Eurofighters escorted the jet, which touched down safely at 12:16 p.m. The airline stated the signal at 0900 GMT over Croatia stemmed from a radio communication malfunction, adding that passengers, crew and aircraft faced no danger at any point. Police secured the field and plane; a spokesperson confirmed, "Everything is fine in the aircraft. The passengers are fine, the pilots are fine." Authorities then issued an all-clear and the operator restored normal operations. Between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., three pilots separately reported an unidentified object during takeoff or landing. Police deployed a helicopter, vehicles and drone-detection gear yet could not verify any sighting. Officials have not confirmed a drone or any link between the overnight reports and the midday code. The episode followed earlier German airport drone disruptions and an August explosives-laden drone find near Ukrainian cargo planes at Leipzig/Halle that Berlin attributed to Russia (Moscow denies) and that an interior minister termed a new dimension of threat.