The European aviation company Airbus has sacked 16 employees amid a probe in Germany into alleged spying by the company's staffers, according to German media.
The Munich state prosecutor’s office said it was probing 17 Airbus workers and a number of German government officials. The probe relates to the discovery of government documents that may have got into the hands of Airbus employees illegally, the office said.
Airbus confirmed the firing, but did not provide more details, the news agency DPA reported.
The employees reportedly work in the Munich-based Programme Line Communications, Intelligence and Security (CIS), which manages cybersecurity and related projects.
Airbus reportedly stated that it was conducting an "ongoing internal review with the support of an external law firm" in the case.
"The company is fully cooperating with relevant authorities to resolve the matter", it said then in a statement in September.