Airport Operations Halted in Vilnius Due to Balloon Sightings

The Vilnius Airport in Lithuania temporarily suspended operations early Sunday morning following reports of unidentified flying objects, suspected to be balloons, approaching the airspace. The closure lasted several hours, with flight operations resuming later in the day.

The airport's management announced via social media that the airspace was closed as a precautionary measure due to the potential presence of a group of balloons headed towards the airport. According to officials, air traffic was halted from Saturday night at 22:15 local time until 04:40 on Sunday.

During this disruption, approximately 30 flights were either canceled, diverted, or delayed. Reports indicated that around 25 balloons had entered Lithuanian airspace, with two detected near the airport itself. Authorities reported the recovery of eleven balloons suspected of carrying contraband, specifically cigarette shipments.

Most incoming flights were rerouted to neighboring countries, including Latvia and Poland, while outbound flights experienced cancellations. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that the sightings were primarily related to hot air balloons.

Balloon sightings have increased across European airports, prompting heightened security measures. Lithuania, bordered by Belarus, has been particularly vigilant due to prior incidents involving drones that entered its airspace, including one loaded with explosives. In response, the country had established a no-fly zone along the border with Belarus in August.

In earlier months, similar balloons had landed in Lithuania, leading to increased scrutiny and the authority for border officials to shoot them down. Smugglers have been known to utilize weather balloons to transport packages of Belarusian cigarettes into Lithuania, where tobacco products are significantly more expensive. Authorities reported 966 such balloons last year, with 544 already recorded this year.

The use of drones and weather balloons for smuggling purposes is categorized as a criminal act, but it is not classified as sabotage or provocation. Lithuania's heightened awareness of airspace violations follows multiple incidents, including two separate cases in July involving drones launched from Belarus.