German airport briefly shuts after ‘emergency code’ transmitted in error by incoming plane

By Benjamin Brown, Billy Stockwell, CNN

(CNN) — Germany’s Nuremberg airport temporarily suspended flights on Tuesday after an emergency code was transmitted in error by an incoming plane due to a “brief malfunction.”

Corendon Airlines said a flight from the Greek island of Corfu to Nuremberg, southern Germany, sent out the alert “while in Croatian airspace due to a brief malfunction in the radio communication system.”

“The situation was immediately monitored, investigations were promptly initiated and all necessary preparations were made,” the airline told CNN.

Earlier on Tuesday, Nuremberg airport said flight operations had been suspended “for the time being” due to the incident. In its statement, the airport referred to a flight from Corfu to Nuremberg, which it said “landed safely.” Flight operations at the airport have since returned to normal, Reuters reported.

Local police told CNN there is no danger and everyone on board is safe.

Shortly after 11 a.m. local time an emergency report was received from within the cockpit of the plane, police said. They added that the flight was escorted into Nuremberg airport by Eurofighter jets.

“The aircraft in question is a scheduled flight from Corfu, which landed in Nuremberg as planned. On-site inspections have determined that there is no danger,” police posted on X.

German newspaper Bild reported previously that a possible drone sighting had disrupted air traffic at the airport overnight into Tuesday, with three pilots independently reporting an object they had seen during takeoff or landing.

Police later told CNN the incident on Tuesday was not related to any possible drone sightings.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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