Key facts
- Lithuania temporarily closed Vilnius airport on Sunday due to a possible drone sighting.
- A NATO fighter jet was scrambled as a precaution.
Lithuania airport reopens after drone scare identified as birds
IN SHORT
Vilnius airport in Lithuania reopened after a 38-minute closure due to a possible drone sighting. A NATO fighter jet was scrambled as a precaution, but authorities determined the object was a flock of birds. The incident occurred amid heightened security concerns related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Key Numbers
38 minutesair alert duration
Who's Involved
Lithuania
closed Vilnius airport due to a possible drone sighting identified as birds
NATO
scrambled a fighter jet from northern Lithuania
Italian air force
currently based in northern Lithuania as part of the NATO Baltic Air Defence mission
National Crisis Management Centre
confirmed the drone sighting and airport closure
organizers
told Reuters the Vilnius marathon was not interrupted
↳ Why This Matters
The incident highlights the heightened security concerns and potential for misidentification of threats along NATO's eastern flank amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.