Danish officers consider drone flyovers at 4 airports meant to sow worry : NPR

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Drones flew over Aalborg Airport in northern Denmark in a single day Wednesday into Thursday, in addition to three smaller airports within the nation, but it surely was not instantly clear who was behind the incidents, authorities mentioned.

Protection Minister Troels Lund Poulsen mentioned it appeared a “skilled actor” was behind the “systematic” flights, with out offering extra particulars throughout a information convention Thursday morning.

Authorities mentioned there was no hazard to the general public.

The aim of the flyovers was to sow worry and division, Danish Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard mentioned Thursday, including that the nation will search extra methods to neutralize drones together with proposing laws to permit infrastructure house owners to shoot them down.

Flights have been halted for a number of hours at Aalborg Airport, which additionally serves as a navy base. Drone sightings started shortly earlier than 10 p.m. Wednesday and ended simply earlier than 1 a.m. Thursday.

The airports in Esbjerg, Sønderborg and Skrydstrup additionally have been impacted. Skrydstrup is an air base that’s residence to a few of the Danish navy’s fighter jets.

The drones gave the impression to be flying across the airports with their lights turned on however authorities determined in opposition to trying to shoot down the drones, police mentioned. Further particulars weren’t instantly out there.

The most recent drone exercise comes just some days after an analogous incident at Copenhagen Airport, carried out by what police name a “succesful actor.”

The Copenhagen drones grounded flights within the Danish capital for hours Monday night time, prompting issues that Russia may very well be behind the flyover above Scandinavia’s largest airport.

It was not instantly clear whether or not the Copenhagen flyover was associated to the incidents later within the week.