KAUNAS, Lithuania — Kaunas Airport (KUN) temporarily halted flights on October 18 as Lithuanian authorities responded to a suspected drone, with traffic resuming at 07:49 local time, according to Lithuanian broadcaster TV3.
The National Crisis Management Center said the airport closed during the alert, Reuters reported. A NATO official told the agency that two Italian Eurofighters were scrambled under alliance command. Cloud cover prevented visual identification, and the fighters did not attempt to shoot down the object, the center said.
Lithuania's official LT72 alert timeline records a yellow warning for Kaunas county at 07:00 local time. Red warnings followed in Šiauliai and Panevėžys counties at 07:09. The all-clear came at 07:51 for Kaunas and Šiauliai and at 08:11 for Panevėžys, also local times. Those public-warning times are distinct from the airport's reported reopening time.
Debris examined
Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said the object entered from Poland. A Polish Defense Ministry spokesperson said radar had not confirmed a crossing into Lithuania, according to Reuters.
The agency reported that Lithuanian army personnel were examining possible drone debris near Juodžionys in northern Lithuania. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the incident and suggested Russian electronic warfare might have diverted drones. NATO said an investigation was continuing.
Flight updates after reopening
The airport's standing guidance for airspace restrictions directs passengers to its arrivals and departures information and their airline for flight updates. It says the airport may still be awaiting an airline's official update when a revised time is unavailable.
The guidance also advises that check-in usually follows the original scheduled time even when departure is delayed. Passengers should confirm check-in arrangements with their airline.
Feaured image: Zirzilia at Lithuanian Wikipedia - Transferred from lt.wikipedia to Commons/Public Domain
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