Copenhagen’s airport was closed for four hours and Oslo’s for three due to drone sightings, prompting a government response and speculation about the origin of the drones.
Drone Sightings Cause Disruption
Drones were spotted near Copenhagen and Oslo airports, leading to flight disruptions and a significant response from Danish authorities. Copenhagen Airport, Denmark’s largest, was closed for four hours, and Oslo Airport was shut for three hours.
The drones, described as large and capable of manipulating their lights, were seen entering and exiting the airspace around the airports. Danish police said they were investigating various hypotheses about the drones’ origin, including the possibility that they launched from ships in the busy shipping lane near the airport.
Government Response and Implications
Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, described the incident as the “most serious attack” on Danish infrastructure to date. She noted that the incident should be considered in the context of other recent events in Europe but did not speculate about the perpetrators.
Frederiksen did not rule out the possibility that Russia was behind the drone attacks on critical Danish infrastructure. The incident led to the diversion of 31 flights, causing delays and cancellations for around 100 flights and affecting nearly 20,000 passengers.
International Context and Reactions
The incident is part of a series of challenges faced by European airports. It follows a cyberattack that paralyzed check-in and boarding systems at several major airports and instances of airspace violations in Poland and Estonia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that Russia might be behind the drone incidents, but Danish police have not confirmed this and say they are still investigating.
