Birds or Drones? The Airspace Mix-Up Over Lithuania

Lithuania experienced an airspace scare when a purported drone sighting led to the temporary closure of Vilnius airport and the summoning of a NATO fighter jet. The incident was quickly resolved as a flock of birds, not drones, caused the radar confusion. Airspace security in the region remains tense due to the conflict in Ukraine.

Lithuania faced a momentary airspace security alert when authorities mistook a flock of birds for a drone, leading to the temporary closure of Vilnius airport on Sunday. The prompt response involved summoning a NATO fighter jet to investigate the perceived threat.

At the heart of the confusion was similar radar signatures between birds and drones, a challenge acknowledged by Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre. The jet, deployed from the Italian air force base in Siauliai, confirmed the absence of drones, lifting the alert within 38 minutes.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions as military drones intruding into the airspace of nations bordering Russia, including Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, spark fears of the Ukraine conflict impacting NATO territories. Despite the scare, the Vilnius marathon continued without disruption, officials reported.