US EditionLithuania's Vilnius airport reopens after suspension over balloons in airspace
About 30 flights were delayed, canceled, or diverted affecting roughly 6,000 passengers after balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes from Belarus entered Lithuanian airspace.
- Lithuania suspended air traffic at Vilnius Airport due to balloons possibly flying in its airspace, affecting around 6,000 passengers and leading to 30 flight delays, according to the airport's operator.
- A total of 25 balloons were detected in Lithuanian airspace, some carrying smuggled cigarettes, impacting 30 flights and nearly 6,000 passengers, according to Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre.
- Air traffic restrictions ended at 4:50 a.m. on Sunday, allowing flights to resume after several hours of suspension and diversions, according to the airport's operator.
- Authorities are concerned about increasing balloon incidents being used for smuggling, which some European officials describe as Moscow testing NATO’s response.
129 Articles
129 Articles
Vilnius airport was closed for a few hours this night, and is still suffering discomfort, due to the entry of a series of balloons from Belarus, which according to the Lithuanian authorities would have transported contraband cigarettes (ANSA)
Small hot-air balloons smuggling tens of thousands of cigarette packs force Lithuania to close Vilnius Airport for hours
Up to 25 small hot-air balloons, some of them confirmed to be carrying smuggled cigarettes, entered Lithuanian airspace late Saturday and forced the shutdown of Vilnius Airport, delaying flights for hours, authorities said. The balloons interfered with 30 flights, impacting some 6,000 passengers, according to Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center. Flights resumed at 4:50 a.m. (0150 GMT) Sunday. While the balloons turned out to be ferryin…
Up to 25 hot air balloons of small sizes entered Lithuania's airspace on Saturday night and determined to close the airport in Vilnius, causing more than an hour's delay, they announced...
Vilnius airport was closed for several hours because of a group of balloons, which is reported on the Facebook page of the airport.
Associated Press News
Balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes over Lithuania closed Vilnius Airport for hours
Up to 25 small hot-air balloons, some carrying smuggled cigarettes, entered Lithuanian airspace late Saturday, forcing the shutdown of Vilnius Airport.
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