Nato jet scrambled to Lithuania ‘drone sighting’ turns out to be flock of birds
Por Rebecca Whittaker — – World RSS Feed
Nato jet scrambled to Lithuania ‘drone sighting’ turns out to be flock of birds
The sighting prompted the closure of Vilinus airport but the alert was lifted after 38 minutes
Rebecca Whittaker Sunday 13 September 2026 13:04 BST
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A Nato jet scrambled to Lithuania Airport over a possible drone sighting was stood down – after the potential threat was confirmed to be a flock of birds.
The sighting prompted the closure of Vilnius airport and prompted at least one Nato fighter jet to be summoned to respond.
The air alert was lifted and the airport reopened within 38 minutes, after the jet made a visual identification, Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre said.
“On initial radar readings, marks left by birds and drones can be similar,” it added in a statement.
The jet was summoned from Siauliai in northern Lithuania, where the Italian air force is currently based as part of the Nato Baltic Air Defence mission.
Military drones straying into the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are stoking concerns that the war in Ukraine is spilling over into Nato’s northern borders with Russia.
This is a developing news story, more follows…
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