Denmark and Norway Airports Suspend Operations Amid Drone Sightings

Posted on by

Authorities in both nations are collaborating to ascertain any connection between the occurrences

Key airports in Norway and Denmark had to halt all flight operations following numerous drone detections close to their runways on Monday and into early Tuesday.

Danish police reported that two to three substantial drones were observed near Copenhagen Airport, the busiest in the Nordic area. The airspace was shut down at 8:30 pm local time, stopping all departures and arrivals. Approximately 30 outgoing flights and 20,000 travelers were impacted.

In Norway, Oslo Airport ceased air operations from midnight after a drone was sighted, according to an Avinor spokesperson, the airport’s operator, speaking to Reuters. All outbound flights were either canceled or postponed, and incoming flights were diverted to Gothenburg and Malmo in Sweden until the airport resumed activity around 3:22 am on Tuesday.

“Police have initiated a thorough inquiry to identify the nature of these drones,” stated Jakob Hansen, Copenhagen police deputy assistant commissioner. “The drones have vanished, and none have been recovered.” A police representative informed CNN that no arrests had been made as of 10:15 pm.

The drones were last sighted at 11:17 pm, with the airspace resuming operations at 12:20 am on Tuesday. Airport authorities cautioned that flight delays and cancellations were expected to persist.

Hansen confirmed that law enforcement agencies in Denmark and Norway are collaborating to ascertain if the occurrences are linked.

According to media reports, Oslo Police had previously apprehended two Singaporean citizens on suspicion of operating drones above Akershus Fortress, a medieval stronghold utilized for governmental functions; however, it remains uncertain if this incident is related to the airport disturbances.

These events follow closely on the heels of major European airports experiencing electronic check-in and boarding system failures, which led to extensive delays and cancellations from Friday until Sunday. London’s Heathrow, along with airports in Berlin and Brussels, was affected, resulting in 73 canceled flights. Various media outlets suggested a cyberattack on the service provider Collins Aerospace as the cause.