Drones Buzz Copenhagen Airport for Hours

A skilled drone pilot flew two to three large unidentified drones over Copenhagen Airport on Monday night, shutting down the airspace for hours as the unknown perpetrator appeared to be showboating over Scandinavia's largest airport, police said Tuesday. Officials chose not to shoot down the drones because the risk was too great with an airport full of passengers, planes on the runways, and nearby fuel depots, said Jens Jespersen, senior police inspector of the Copenhagen Police. Jespersen called the pilot "a capable actor" and said the culprit seemed intent on showing off their skills and possibly practicing their techniques, reports the AP. The drones disappeared after several hours.

There were no signs that the drone pilot intended to harm anyone, he added. The drones' lights turned on and off and appeared to engage in different flight patterns. "It all indicates that you are not out to attack anyone, but you are out to show off and maybe to practice," he said. Still, authorities couldn't rule out the possibility of the drones being part of a Russian hybrid attack, he said. The two to three drones appeared to have flown many miles to reach the airport. Investigators are looking at how the drones reached the airport—whether it was by land or possibly by boat.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it "the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date." Flights at the airport resumed early Tuesday, though delays and cancellations continued through the morning. "Copenhagen Airport has reopened after being closed due to drone activity. However, there will be delays and some canceled departures. Passengers are advised to check with their airline for further information," its website said.

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A drone incident the same evening at the airport in Oslo, Norway, forced all traffic to move to one runway, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Traffic later returned to normal and it's unclear who was responsible. Jespersen said nothing immediately linked the Oslo and Copenhagen incidents, but officials would look into any potential ties. Security concerns in northern Europe are heightened following an increase in Russian sabotage activities and multiple drones and fighter jet incursions into NATO airspace in recent weeks.