Vilnius airport suspends flights over smugglers’ balloons

Vilnius Airport in Lithuania was forced to suspend air traffic late on October 21 after dozens of smuggling balloons were spotted in its airspace, authorities said.

The National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) said the disruption was caused by weather balloons being used to smuggle cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus. Passengers were advised to follow official airport updates, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Eight incoming flights have been redirected so far, including to Kaunas Airport in Lithuania and Warsaw in Poland, the Vilnius airport operator confirmed.

This is not the first time such incidents have disrupted air traffic in the country. On 5 October, Vilnius Airport was also closed after helium balloons carrying contraband cigarettes were detected.

Europe has seen a series of similar disruptions in recent weeks, with airports in Copenhagen, Munich, and across the Baltic region reporting drone sightings and other airspace incursions.

By Vugar Khalilov