Nuremberg Airport was temporarily shut down on Tuesday due to a suspected aircraft hijacking, later confirmed to be a technical malfunction.

On Tuesday afternoon, Nuremberg Airport was closed for approximately two hours following a reported emergency involving a Corendon Airlines flight arriving from Corfu. The incident began when the aircraft transmitted the emergency code ‘7500,’ indicating a hijacking situation, and communication with the cockpit was lost. As a precaution, police cordoned off the airport, and flight operations were suspended.

According to the Middle Franconia Police, the emergency code was likely triggered by a technical defect. A police spokesperson explained that the inability to contact the cockpit led authorities to assume the worst-case scenario of a potential hostage situation. Eurofighter jets from the Tactical Air Force Wing 74 in Neuburg an der Donau were deployed to escort the aircraft in German airspace. The jets returned to base after the situation was resolved. By 1:20 PM, an official all-clear was issued, and airport operations resumed.

Passengers aboard the aircraft were initially required to remain on the plane after landing but were later transported to the arrivals hall via buses and attended to by an emergency response team. All passengers and crew were reported to be unharmed. Earlier in the day, three pilots had reported a possible drone sighting near the airport during takeoff and landing operations. Despite search efforts involving a police helicopter, no drone was found. The drone sighting caused temporary disruptions, including delayed flights and rerouted aircraft. Authorities have not yet determined if the two incidents are connected.