On Danish border, German state investigates new drone sightings for espionage

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -The interior ministry of the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein said on Friday that drones had been sighted overnight and they were being investigated for possible espionage and sabotage.

Officials have been on high alert after drone incursions in Denmark shut down air traffic in various parts of the country several times this week.

Denmark, which borders Schleswig-Holstein, has reported to NATO allies that unspecified "state actors" were responsible for the incursions.

Schleswig-Holstein's interior minister, Sabine Suetterlin-Waack, said in an emailed statement that the incidents in Denmark meant that her state was in close consultation with the federal government and the German armed forces.

"Of course, we in Schleswig-Holstein are also investigating every suspicion of espionage and sabotage in this case and remain very vigilant in this area," she said.

(Reporting by Tom Sims, Editing by Timothy Heritage and David Gregorio)