Drones Shut Down Copenhagen and Oslo Airports

The appearance of unknown unmanned aerial vehicles on Monday evening caused serious disruptions at the two largest airports in the Scandinavian region, forcing all flights in Copenhagen and Oslo to be suspended for several hours. Although both airports have now resumed operations, dozens of flights were diverted to other airports, and thousands of passengers faced delays and flight cancellations. The authorities of Denmark and Norway have launched a joint investigation to determine whether these two incidents are interconnected.

Copenhagen Airport, the busiest air hub in Northern Europe, suspended all takeoffs and landings on Monday evening at 20:26 local time. The work stoppage lasted for about four hours. According to the Danish police, two or three large UAVs were spotted near the airport. According to the FlightRadar service, during this time, about 50 flights were diverted to alternative airports. Copenhagen Police Deputy Commissioner Jakob Hansen stated that an intensive investigation has been launched to determine the type of UAVs. "The drones have disappeared, and we have not managed to catch any of them," he added.

Almost simultaneously, a similar situation developed at the airport of the Norwegian capital, Oslo. The Norwegian airport operator "Avinor" reported that the airspace was closed at midnight, again due to the detection of drones. Oslo Airport was closed for more than three hours, and all flights were diverted to nearby airports. Work resumed only at 3:22 am local time.

No details have yet been released as to whom the drones belonged and what their mission was in the areas adjacent to the airports. According to the official clarification, the airports failed to catch or identify the UAVs.

These incidents are taking place at a difficult time for European air travel. About a week ago, check-in and boarding systems at London Heathrow, Berlin, and Brussels airports were down due to a cyberattack. Its consequences were also felt over the weekend. Disruptions caused by UAVs are not new: in 2018, tens of thousands of passengers were affected by a similar incident at London's Gatwick Airport, and hundreds of flights were canceled.

Currently, the management of Copenhagen and Oslo airports is warning that although work has resumed, delays and some flight cancellations will continue. Passengers are urged to contact their airlines to clarify flight information.