Key facts
- Lithuania closed Vilnius airport on Sunday due to a possible drone sighting.
- A NATO fighter jet was scrambled as a precaution.
Lithuania reopens airport after drone scare identified as birds
IN SHORT
Lithuania's Vilnius airport reopened after a temporary closure due to a possible drone sighting that was later identified as a flock of birds. A NATO fighter jet was scrambled as a precaution.
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 heightened security concerns and potential for false alarms along NATO's eastern flank amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, leading to precautionary military responses.