Two men come forward after Leipzig/Halle airport security fence breach

A breach in the security fence at Leipzig/Halle airport triggered a major police operation on October 17, according to Deutsche Welle. Early reporting left open how the breach had happened and whether it was deliberate.

Police searched the airport grounds overnight into October 18 after a hole was discovered in the fence, nu.nl reported. At that stage, a vehicle was suspected of having driven through it.

On October 18, DIE WELT reported that the north runway remained closed while police searched the site. Despite that closure, the outlet said flight traffic was not restricted.

The cause remained unclear. DER SPIEGEL reported on October 18 that authorities were investigating in all directions and had not ruled out an accident. The fence stood beside a publicly accessible road.

On October 19, two suspects came forward to the authorities with their lawyers, according to DER SPIEGEL.

The men admitted to police that they had broken through the security fence, DIE ZEIT reported that day. They said they had been practising for a driving test.

Police now believe the incident was an accident, according to Deutschlandfunk on October 19. That is a shift from the initial investigation, when the cause was still open.

The driving practice explanation remains the men's account, as reported by DIE WELT. The supplied coverage does not establish whether the north runway has reopened.

The remaining questions are how the vehicle reached and breached the fence, and whether investigators confirm the men's explanation. Deutschlandfunk reports that police believe it was an accident, rather than presenting a final finding.