German spy chief warns that suspected sabotage almost caused a plane crash when a parcel caught fire

Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence service.

A plane crash was narrowly avoided when a package caught fire before being loaded on board, in what German intelligence suspects was an act of sabotage.

Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence service, shared the story on Monday in front of a parliamentary committee at the Bundestag.

The case is being investigated by the office of the country’s Federal Prosecutor General, which told RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland the incident took place in July at the DHL freight center in Leipzig.

Haldenwang said it was “only a lucky coincidence” that the package caught fire on the ground and not during the flight.

RND’s report cited the German Press Agency (DPA) as saying the package happened to be delayed in Leipzig, which meant it only set fire to a freight container rather than a plane.

If it had caught fire in the air, Haldenwang said, “there would have been a crash.”

He added that debris could have hit people in Germany who sympathize with Vladimir Putin.

The intelligence boss didn’t name any suspects, but the DPA reported security services were working on the assumption that the attack was connected to Russia, per the Financial Times.

It is also unclear where the package was meant to be shipped.

Monday’s parliamentary committee saw the heads of Germany’s three intelligence services give an annual report on the overall situation. The growing threat from Russia was a major topic.

Bruno Kahl, the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service, said Moscow’s willingness to use covert measures had reached a new level and further escalation is “anything but unlikely.”