Bomb Disarmament in Frankfurt Airport During World War II - A5 Shutdown - Disrupted Traffic on A5 Highway: Unearthed World War II Explosive at Frankfurt Airport
In a surprising turn of events, a World War II bomb has been discovered during construction work at Frankfurt Airport. The airport operator, Fraport, has announced necessary security measures, which include the closure of the A5 motorway in both directions.
The bomb was found near Terminal 3 and the Zeppelinheim highway exit. As a precaution, a 500-meter security radius has been set up around the bomb site. The Frankfurt fire department and the bomb disposal unit are currently on site, ready to handle the situation.
The Intercity Hotel and the construction site are currently being evacuated. The nearby A5 and several feeder roads will also be closed for the duration of the defusal, which is expected to take one to one and a half hours. The police expect the roads to be closed about half an hour before the start of the defusal, which is scheduled to begin after 23:00, once regular flight operations have ended.
It's important to note that this is not the first time a World War II bomb has been discovered on a construction site at Frankfurt Airport. In June 2024, a phosphorus bomb was also found at Terminal 3 and was successfully defused by experts from the bomb disposal unit.
Terminal 3, which cost around four billion euros, is currently under construction. The terminal is scheduled to go into operation with an annual capacity of 19 million passengers by Easter 2026.
Due to the defusal, two of the four runways could not be used temporarily, leading to delays and cancellations. However, flight operations are not affected by the night flight ban in Frankfurt.
The decision on whether to defuse or control detonate the World War II bomb has not been confirmed. The defusal process can take up to 90 minutes, but if everything goes as planned, the situation should be resolved swiftly.
We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available. In the meantime, we advise motorists to avoid the A5 and surrounding areas during the planned closure. Stay safe and informed.
