A World War II bomb found during construction at Frankfurt Airport was defused on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, prompting evacuations and road closures, with some flights delayed.

According to airport operator Fraport, a 500-metre security perimeter was set up around the site. This required the evacuation of the Intercity Hotel and the construction site where the bomb was found. The operation began at 5pm, with the defusing planned for 11pm.

Fraport explained that Frankfurt operates under a night-flight ban, meaning the defusing itself did not affect flight operations. However, the airport's website showed a number of delays: as of 7pm on Tuesday, the last scheduled arrival – inbound from Hurghada, Egypt – was expected at 11.18pm, a full hour late.

Specialist teams from Germany's explosive ordnance disposal service and Frankfurt's professional fire brigade were on site. The nearby A5 motorway was closed until the operation was completed.

Fraport warned passengers of further delays and advised them to check their flight status online before travelling to the airport. The first departures on Wednesday morning were scheduled for 4.45am.