Denmark and Norway were forced to close their main airports on Monday night due to drone sightings.
Danish police were unable to confirm the type or the number of drones seen around Copenhagen Airport, but told reporters on Tuesday morning that they were likely flown by a “capable operator” who wanted to “show off”.
Police confirmed that armed forces were activated in response to the sighting, but said there was nothing to indicate that the drones were intended to cause harm.
Operations at Copenhagen airport resumed at 00:30 local time (23:30 GMT) after flights were suspended for almost four hours following a drone sighting. Oslo airport also reopened after four hours of airspace closure.
Danish police also said that “a number of measures will be implemented” as part of the investigation, but would not confirm what these measures might be.
They confirmed that around 20,000 passengers were impacted by the airport closure.
On Monday evening, two to three large drones were reported flying in the area around Copenhagen Airport, according to authorities.
Take-offs and landings at the airport were suspended for approximately four hours.
In a statement, the airport warned of ongoing delays and cancellations, and urged passengers to check the status of their flight with their airlines.
Asked by reporters on Monday if the drones were of Russian origin, Deputy Police Inspector Jakob Hansen said he could not confirm or deny this.
In a social media post later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky referenced “Russia’s violation” of Nato airspace in Copenhagen on 22 September, but did not indicate a source for the information.
EU and Nato leaders have not made a public attribution.
In Tuesday’s press conference, Danish police said there was not anything that “immediately links” the drone incidents in Norway and Denmark with each other.
A spokesperson for Copenhagen Airport confirmed that the airspace over the airport was closed at around around 20:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on Monday due to unidentified drones.
“No aircraft can take off or land at the airport, and as a result, several flights are being diverted to other airports,” they said in a statement.
“Police are investigating the matter and we currently have to timeline for reopening.”
Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 reported that at least 35 flights bound for Copenhagen had been diverted as a result of the airport’s closure.
In Oslo, a drone was also detected near the main airport on Monday evening, Norwegian police confirmed to local media outlet NRK.
A spokesperson for the airport told public broadcaster NRK that airspace above the airport was closed at 00:00 local time (22:00 GMT) due to “drone observation”, and all flights would be diverted to the nearest airport.
At around 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT), the spokesperson said Oslo Airport had been reopened.
by BBC NEWS
