The NKVC announced a probable air hazard in Vilnius city and district, as well as in the Trakai and Elektrėnai districts, and issued a yellow warning signal. According to preliminary data, a drone was possibly detected. NATO fighters were scrambled.
Read more The probable air hazard in Vilnius County has been canceled
Residents were urged to find a safe place and not to approach suspicious objects, and to call 112.
At about 13:40, it was reported that the air hazard was canceled.
Flights at Vilnius Airport were briefly suspended, but it is operating again.
Air hazard canceled
13:43
The Ministry of National Defence announces that the possible air hazard has been canceled. Lithuanian residents also received messages confirming this.
LRT also confirmed this, as did NKVC head Vilmantas Vitkauskas.
“White signal, hazard canceled, you can calm down. (…) Hopefully, there will be no more danger today,” said V. Vitkauskas.
“A mark was detected in the southern part of Vilnius moving towards Lentvaris, then confirmation came from fighter pilots that there is no air hazard and the mission is terminated,” he added.
According to V. Vitkauskas, flights to and from Vilnius Airport should be resumed soon.
“Flights should be resumed since the air hazard is canceled. Everything should normalize and return to normal schedules for aircraft takeoff and landing,” he told LRT.
Vilnius Airport operations have also resumed.
NATO fighters scrambled due to air hazard: residents urged to find shelter
13:34
NKVC representative Darius Buta confirmed to journalists that NATO fighters were scrambled.
According to NKVC head Vilmantas Vitkauskas, it is likely a drone, but this can only be inferred from military radar traces so far.
“People should think about the nearest shelter, an unidentified object is in the air. The military air forces are taking actions to neutralize it,” V. Vitkauskas told LRT radio.
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According to him, it is difficult to specify the object’s trajectory, it may change.
The issued yellow category air hazard warning means that an attack is probable but not yet occurring.
Meanwhile, the Lithuanian military reported on Sunday that at 4:05 a.m. military air force radars near Varėna detected an object crossing the country’s territory and entering Russia’s Kaliningrad region. It is likely it came from Belarus.
Flights suspended at Vilnius Airport
13:27 Updated 13:32
The National Crisis Management Centre reports that flights at Vilnius Airport are suspended.
Vilnius Airport also announced this information on its website and Facebook.
“Due to the probable air hazard, Vilnius Airport operations and airspace are restricted.
Stay calm and follow staff instructions.
Information about flights – www.vno.lt and +370 612 44442,” the airport informs in Lithuanian and English.
Information about the possible air hazard – www.LT72.lt.
The Vilnius Airport website currently states that one flight – from Antalya – has been diverted; the plane was scheduled to land at 13:45.
Warning issued about air hazard, residents concerned about heard noise
13:26
Residents of the capital received a yellow level warning about a possible air hazard.
Residents report to 15min that a sound is heard in the sky over Vilnius city and district, Pavilnys – as if something is flying.
However, according to residents, nothing is visible in the sky. It is unknown whether these could be air police fighters.
Read more Due to the announced yellow weather warning, flights at Vilnius Airport were suspended
