Investigators are looking into suspicions of unauthorized access and possible tampering with the water supply at a major air force barracks in the western Germanyauthorities said Wednesday.
Defense Ministry spokesman Arne Collatz said there are suspicions of attempted or actual illegal entry, as well as sabotage, at the Wahn barracks outside Cologne.
A hole was found overnight in the facility’s fence in an area near its waterworks, and officials could not rule out contamination, military spokesman Ulrich Fonrobert said. The barracks were cordoned off for several hours in case one or more perpetrators were on the grounds, but no one was found and the gates were reopened on Wednesday lunchtime.
Speaking outside the barracks, Fonrobert said the alarm had been triggered by a report of “abnormal water levels”, which he did not elaborate on. An evaluation of the plant’s drinking water was still ongoing.
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Officials were not aware that anyone had become ill from any possible contamination. Fonrobert said one person called in sick with a stomach bug, but that happened early Tuesday night and was not connected to the water supply.
“We have our reasons for taking this action, and we take the case seriously,” said a spokesperson for the territorial command in Berlin, according to Reuters.
Der Spiegel newspaper reported that police and the German military’s counterintelligence service were investigating the apparent break-in.
Köln-Wahn base, located near Köln-Bonn Airport, houses several military and civilian facilities for the German armed forces as well as aircraft used by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his ministers for government travel.
About 4,300 soldiers and 1,200 civilians are working at the site, according to Spiegel.
The base is also an important hub for military support to Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers regularly fly home from there, via Poland, after receiving training in Germany, Spiegel added.
AFP contributed to this report.