Drone Sighting Shuts Down Vilnius Airport

Lithuania temporarily closed Vilnius airport on Sunday after a potential drone was detected in its airspace. A NATO fighter jet was dispatched as a precaution. The air alert lasted about an hour before the airport resumed operations. The incident is linked to ongoing regional tensions due to the Ukraine conflict.

Lithuania closed Vilnius airport on Sunday following a potential drone sighting in its airspace, as reported by the country's National Crisis Management Centre. The situation prompted NATO to dispatch at least one fighter jet in response.

After approximately one hour, the air alert was lifted and operations resumed at the airport. The NATO jet was dispatched from Siauliai in northern Lithuania, where the Italian air force is stationed as part of the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission. Regional tensions related to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine have resulted in multiple incidents of drones entering neighboring airspaces.

Despite the air alert, the Vilnius marathon continued without interruption, according to event organizers. This incident underscores the ongoing security challenges faced by NATO countries along its eastern borders.