Drone alert temporarily shuts Danish airport

Monday 17 November 2025 - 09:30

By: Sahili Aya

Drone alert temporarily shuts Danish airport

Denmark’s Aalborg Airport was forced to close for nearly two hours late Sunday after suspected drones were detected in the surrounding airspace, marking the latest in a series of mysterious drone incursions that have unsettled authorities across Europe.

Jan Eliassen, spokesperson for the Danish air traffic control agency Naviair, told AFP that the airport was shut to all landings and take-offs between 9:30 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. (2030–2215 GMT), affecting four commercial flights.

The incident comes nearly two months after unexplained drone sightings prompted Danish authorities to impose a one-week ban on civilian drone operations during two major European summits in Copenhagen on October 1–2.

Rising concern after unexplained drone activity

The first wave of unidentified drone flights was recorded at the end of September, shortly after Denmark announced the acquisition of long-range precision weapons for the first time — a decision justified by what Copenhagen described as a long-term Russian security threat.

Despite extensive investigations, Danish authorities have yet to determine who is behind the incursions. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has publicly suggested that Russia could be responsible.

“There is one main country that poses a threat to Europe’s security, and it is Russia,” she said.

Police investigation ongoing

Following Sunday’s disruption, North Jutland police wrote on X that they had been alerted to possible drone sightings around the airport.

“We are investigating intensively in the area. At the moment, we have no further information and cannot confirm the veracity of the situation,” police said in a statement.

The temporary shutdown adds to growing concerns that Europe is facing a coordinated pattern of unmanned aerial activity targeting sensitive infrastructure.