Finnish air traffic control received advance notice from its Russian counterpart that a mapping drone operated by civilian authorities had gone missing several days before a Russian-made aircraft was found on the coast near Porvoo, Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen said on Friday.
Authorities are investigating whether the Russian notification relates to the drone found in the Pellinki archipelago on Tuesday.
The Finnish Border Guard has now opened a formal investigation into a possible territorial violation.
“The information came in accordance with air traffic safety procedures,” Häkkänen told reporters at Parliament. He said the warning arrived around a few days before the discovery.
“We are still investigating whether this information is correct and whether there is a connection specifically to this incident,” he said.
Häkkänen said preliminary information points to an aircraft intended primarily for civilian mapping. Investigators are seeking to establish who operated the drone and how it reached the Finnish coast.
A fisherman found the aircraft close to the water in Pellinki, south of Porvoo. The Border Guard said an initial external examination identified the model as a Geoscan 701. Russian company Geoscan manufactures the fixed-wing unmanned aircraft.
The same model has both civilian and state users. The Border Guard said investigators have not established the drone’s operator, country of use or purpose.
Authorities are examining whether the drone first crossed Finnish airspace or reached Pellinki through sea currents after coming down elsewhere.
Investigators will also examine which organisation controlled the aircraft and whether its journey resulted from an accident or an intentional flight.
Häkkänen said drones sometimes stop responding to their operators, though he stressed that authorities have not established this as the explanation in the Pellinki case.
“It is important to remember that not every incident necessarily involves hostile activity,” he said.
The drone carried no explosives and presented no danger to bystanders, according to authorities.
The Border Guard said its investigation will determine where, when and how the aircraft entered Finnish territory and where any crossing of Finland’s national border took place. Police, the Border Guard and the Finnish Defence Forces are working on the case.
Häkkänen said he had not contacted Russia over the discovery. He said senior government officials responsible for security had discussed the case, while Finland had also conducted routine information exchanges with close partner countries.
HT