‘Flying with lights on’: Denmark’s Aalborg airport shut after drones spotted in airspace; flights affected

Denmark’s Aalborg airport, which serves each industrial and navy flights, was closed early Thursday after drones had been spotted in its airspace, police mentioned, two days after Copenhagen airport skilled an analogous disruption.Northern Jutland police mentioned, “more than one drone was seen near Aalborg airport, flying with lights on,” Reuters reported. The drones had been first detected at about 9:44 pm (1944 GMT) on Wednesday and remained in the realm on the time of the press briefing early Thursday. Eurocontrol, which oversees European air site visitors, mentioned arrivals and departures at Aalborg can be at a “zero rate” till 0400 GMT as a result of drone exercise.The closure additionally affected Denmark’s armed forces, as Aalborg is used as a navy base. The Danish navy mentioned it was helping native and nationwide police with the investigation however declined additional remark. Southern Jutland police later famous on X that drones had additionally been noticed close to airports in Esberg, Sonderborg and Skrydstrup, residence to Denmark’s F-16 and F-35 fighter jets.Danish nationwide police mentioned the drones adopted an analogous sample to those who halted flights at Copenhagen airport for 4 hours on Monday. Authorities in Norway additionally closed Oslo airport for 3 hours Monday after a drone sighting. National police commissioner Thorkild Fogde mentioned many drone experiences had been filed since Monday, including, “Of course many of these reports do not cover activities that are of interest to the police or the military, but some of them do, and I think the one in Aalborg does.”Police mentioned it was too early to find out “what the goal of the drones is and who is the actor behind,” and added that they’d take down the drones if attainable. Investigators are working with the nationwide intelligence service, the armed forces, and authorities in different nations. There is not any hazard to passengers at Aalborg airport or residents in the realm, police mentioned, and three flights had been diverted to different airports.Denmark known as the Copenhagen airport incident “the most serious attack yet” on its vital infrastructure and linked it to suspected Russian drone incursions and different European disruptions. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned the drones had been a part of a “pattern of persistent contestation at our borders.” Russia’s ambassador to Denmark dismissed suspicions of Russian involvement in the Copenhagen incident as ungrounded. Norway’s international minister mentioned authorities in the 2 nations are cooperating however haven’t established a connection between the occasions.(With inputs from Reuters)