In the Danish capital, Copenhagen, police reported that several large drones spotted over the airport late on Monday eventually flew away on their own after a nearly four-hour shutdown. “The drones have disappeared and the airport is open again,” Deputy Police Inspector Jakob Hansen told reporters, adding, “We didn’t take the drones down.”
Hansen stated that the police were working with the Danish military and intelligence service to determine the drones’ origin. He also mentioned they were coordinating with their counterparts in Oslo, where drone sightings had also caused the Norwegian capital’s airport to close for several hours. Oslo airport spokeswoman Monica Fasting told AFP, “We had two different drone sightings.” She confirmed, “We reopened the airport around 3:15 am (6:15 am PKT).”
During the closures, flights were diverted to nearby airports, and officials at both locations said they expected some delays and disruptions to continue into Tuesday. The incidents occurred after the governments of Poland, Estonia, and Romania accused Russia of violating their airspace earlier this month, allegations that Moscow has dismissed. When asked if the drones above Copenhagen could have originated from Russia, Deputy Police Inspector Hansen replied, “We don’t know at this point.”
Danish police also noted that the drones that shut down the country’s main airport appeared to have been flown by “a capable operator” intending to demonstrate certain abilities, though no suspects have been identified. Danish Police Chief Superintendent Jens Jespersen told reporters on Tuesday, “We have concluded that this was what we would call a capable operator.” Jespersen described the actor as someone “who has the capabilities, the will and the tools to show off in this way,” adding that it was too early to confirm if the incidents in Denmark and Norway were linked.
