Copenhagen and Oslo airports forced to close temporarily due to drone sightings

Major airports in Denmark and Norway were temporarily shut down on Monday night following unidentified drone sightings, causing significant disruptions to air travel. Copenhagen Airport in Denmark and Oslo Airport in Norway were both forced to suspend operations for nearly four hours, impacting approximately 20,000 passengers. Danish authorities reported that two to three large drones were observed flying near Copenhagen Airport, prompting the activation of armed forces. However, police emphasized there was no evidence suggesting the drones intended to cause harm, speculating instead that the operator aimed to ‘show off.’ Both airports resumed operations by early Tuesday morning. Investigations are ongoing, with Danish police implementing unspecified measures to address the incident. Meanwhile, Norwegian authorities confirmed a drone sighting near Oslo Airport, leading to similar airspace closures. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky referenced a ‘Russia’s violation’ of NATO airspace in Copenhagen on September 22, though no official attribution has been made by EU or NATO leaders. Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 reported at least 35 flights bound for Copenhagen were diverted due to the closure. Both countries are now assessing the security implications of these incidents.