Lithuania’s Vilnius Airport announced that its airspace had reopened after a closure in the early hours of Sunday, with Lithuanian media reporting it was due to balloons possibly flying in the airspace.
“The airspace at Vilnius Airport was opened 04:50 [0150 GMT],” the airport said on its website.
“If your flight has been cancelled, do not go to the airport. For further information about your flight, please contact your airline,” the announcement added.
Why has the Vilnius airspace been closed?
Lithuania’s national broadcaster LRT said the closure of the country’s main airport was “possibly due to the sighting of hot air balloons.”
The airport also said: “According to our information, the decision was made due to a possible series of balloons heading toward Vilnius Airport. As a result of this incident, flights have been affected.”
Flights were redirected to other airports, including Riga and Kaunas, LRT reported.
The source of the balloons has yet to be identified.
The incident is the latest in a string of recent European airport closures over drone sightings, the latest of which being in Munich, Germany. While some countries pointed the finger at Russia, Moscow has distanced itself from the incidents.
No-fly zone along Belarus border
Lithuania has imposed a 90-km (60-mile) no-fly zone along its border with Belarus after drones entered from the neighboring country.
The NATO member said the measure would enable its armed forces to respond swiftly to airspace violations.
Lithuania, a supporter of Ukraine, shares a 679-km (422-mile) frontier with Belarus, which is allied with Russia. The capital, Vilnius, lies about 30 km from the border.
Edited by Karl Sexton