VILNIUS, Oct 25 (Reuters) – Lithuania’s Vilnius airport closed on Saturday due to weather balloons entering its airspace from neighbouring Belarus, the Baltic country’s National Crisis Management Centre said, the fourth such disruption this month.
Traffic at the airport was suspended until 2 a.m. (2300 GMT), the NCMC said.
European aviation has repeatedly been thrown into chaos in recent weeks by drone sightings and other air incursions, including at airports in Copenhagen, Munich and the Baltic region.
Lithuania has said balloons are sent by smugglers transporting contraband cigarettes, but it also blames Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, for not stopping the practice.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene on Friday said the country’s National Security Commission will meet next week to assess the situation.
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Lithuania’s Vilnius airport closed on Saturday due to weather balloons entering its airspace from neighbouring Belarus, the Baltic country’s National Crisis Management Centre said, the fourth such disruption this month.
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