Polish Authorities Confirm Airspace Violation False Alarm After Bird Flock Sighting
Incident Overview and Official Statements
Initial Reports of Airspace Violation
WARSAW, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Authorities in Poland said on Sunday that a suspected violation of the country's airspace originating on the other side of its border with neighbouring Belarus had been caused by a large flock of birds.
Military Response and Investigation
The event had prompted the Polish military to scramble helicopters to verify data of a possible violation registered by radiolocation systems shortly after noon local time (1000 GMT), a spokesman for Polish Armed Forces Operational Command told Reuters.
Clarification from Armed Forces
"Indications recorded by the radar systems were not related to a violation of Polish airspace. They were caused by a large flock of birds, whose passage was recorded by airspace surveillance systems," the army later wrote on X.
Impact on Air Traffic and Airport Operations
Poland's air traffic authority PANSA wrote in a separate post on X that Rzeszow Airport in southeastern Poland had resumed operations after they were briefly suspended in order to facilitate military aviation.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Karol Badohal and Anna Lubowicka; Editing by Joe Bavier)
