Drone sightings forced authorities in Denmark and Norway to close the main airports in Copenhagen and Oslo for several hours overnight, leading to widespread flight disruptions that were expected to continue into Tuesday.
The origin and operators of these drones remain unclear, and it is not immediately known if the incidents in Oslo and Copenhagen are connected. However, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a statement describing the event as the “most serious attack so far” on the country’s critical infrastructure, emphasizing that no possibilities regarding responsibility were being ruled out.
Several European nations, particularly those bordering Ukraine, are currently on high alert for incursions, especially after Russian aircraft recently entered the airspace of Poland, Estonia, and Romania.
Ms. Frederiksen further stated that Copenhagen police indicated the episode involved a “capable actor.” She added that it was “clear that this ties into the developments we have observed recently with other drone attacks, violations of airspace, and cyberattacks on European airports.”
The initial sightings were reported at Copenhagen Airport on Monday night. Multiple large drones flew over the airport and remained airborne for four hours, according to Jens Jespersen, the chief superintendent of the Danish police. Authorities promptly suspended all takeoffs and landings due to the drone presence.
Inbound flights were diverted to alternative airports while police conducted their investigation, an airport spokeswoman confirmed.
A few hours later, Oslo Airport experienced similar sightings and was also closed, forcing flights to be redirected across Norway. Staff at Oslo airport reported seeing lights in the sky, consistent with drones, on two separate occasions, as noted by Gisle Sveen, operations manager for the Norwegian East Police District.
Both airports resumed operations in the early hours of Tuesday. Copenhagen Airport announced via social media that further delays and cancellations were anticipated throughout the day.
Countries in Eastern and Northern Europe are maintaining a heightened state of vigilance, particularly as Russia has intensified its use of drones in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Earlier this month, NATO confirmed it scrambled fighter jets to intercept Russian drones that had breached Polish airspace. Days later, Romania reported that a Russian drone had entered its airspace. Just last week, three Russian fighter jets violated Estonia’s airspace, prompting NATO to deploy warplanes for interception.
Polish authorities characterized these airspace intrusions as a deliberate attempt by Russia to test NATO’s readiness. Russia, however, has denied violating Estonian airspace and claimed the drones over Poland were destined for Ukraine.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned discussing Russian violations of NATO airspace, specifically citing the September 22 incident in Copenhagen, during a meeting with the head of the International Monetary Fund. He did not provide further details or evidence linking the Copenhagen drones directly to Russia.
These drone sightings add to the recent disruptions affecting European air travel. Earlier this week, several major airports, including Berlin, Dublin, Brussels, and London’s Heathrow, experienced severe operational impacts due to a cyberattack.
The unauthorized presence of drones at or near airports has emerged as an increasingly significant threat in recent years.
For instance, in December 2018, drones hovering over a runway at Gatwick Airport near London caused hundreds of flight disruptions. The following month, all flights destined for Newark Liberty International Airport were halted after pilots reported seeing a drone flying nearby.