VILNIUS (Reuters) -Lithuania’s Vilnius and Kaunas airports closed on Friday night due to meteorological weather balloons flying in from Belarus, the Lithuanian transport ministry said, the third such disruption this month.
European aviation has repeatedly been thrown into chaos in recent weeks by drone sightings and other air incursions, including at airports in Copenhagen, Munich and the Baltic region.
Lithuania’s transport ministry said in a statement that traffic at the two airports was suspended until 2200 local time (1900 GMT). The National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) said “tens of balloons” had been noted on the radar.
Vilnius Airport closed on Tuesday and on October 5, when smuggler balloons entered the capital city’s airspace carrying contraband cigarettes from Belarus, authorities have said.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said on Wednesday the Baltic country would close its border with Belarus if smuggler balloons entered from the neighbouring country again.
(Reporting by Andrius Sytas, writing by Louise Rasmussen, editing by Terje Solsvik)
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