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Headlines

Lithuania closed Vilnius airport, scrambled NATO jets due to suspected drone

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on October 3, 2026

1 min read

· Last updated: October 3, 2026

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Vilnius Airport Closure and NATO Jet Scramble Under Investigation After Drone Alert

Incident Overview and Ongoing Investigation

Vilnius Airport Closure Details

VILNIUS, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Vilnius airport in Lithuania was closed for less than hour on Saturday and NATO Baltic Air Policing jets were scrambled after a suspected drone was reported to be flying into Lithuania from Belarus, the country's National Crisis Management Centre said.

Authorities' Response to Drone Alert

The centre said authorities are working on Saturday to determine what caused the drone alert.

Reporting and Editorial Credits

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Toby Chopra)

Key Takeaways

  • The National Crisis Management Centre in Lithuania confirmed the airport closure lasted under an hour and that NATO jets were scrambled to address a reported drone threat from Belarus.
  • The incident comes amid mounting concerns over drone incursions into Baltic airspace, with previous events involving both stray Ukrainian drones and suspected Russian-origin Gerbera drones, one of which was shot down near Kaunas in mid‑September.
  • Lithuanian authorities, having experienced similar false alarms—such as a recent case later identified as a flock of birds—are conducting a detailed review of detection protocols and radar reliability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Vilnius airport closed?
Vilnius airport was closed due to a suspected drone entering Lithuanian airspace from Belarus.
How long was Vilnius airport closed?
The airport was closed for less than an hour on Saturday.
What actions did authorities take after the drone alert?
NATO Baltic Air Policing jets were scrambled and authorities launched an investigation.
Who reported the drone flying into Lithuania?
The country's National Crisis Management Centre reported the suspected drone.

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