Lithuania confirmed that an apparent drone sighting in its airspace on Sunday led to the temporary closure of Vilnius airport and the dispatch of a NATO fighter jet, but it was ultimately determined to be a group of birds. The airport closure lasted for 38 minutes until the NATO jet visually identified the situation, as reported by Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre.
According to the Centre, initial radar readings can sometimes mistake bird formations for drones. A fighter jet was deployed from Siauliai in northern Lithuania, where the Italian air force is stationed as part of the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission.
Incidents involving military drones crossing into the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are raising concerns about the potential spillover of the conflict in Ukraine towards the northern borders of NATO and Russia. Despite the airspace scare, the Vilnius marathon continued without interruption, according to event organizers.
In a separate incident in August, a Leipzig/Halle Airport employee discovered a drone carrying an unidentified explosive device in the cargo operations security zone. This recent false alarm in Lithuania underscores the ongoing vigilance and readiness of authorities to respond to potential threats in the region.