Lithuania shuts airports and Belarus border crossings after balloon sightings
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Lithuania’s Vilnius and Kaunas airports were closed due to meteorological weather balloons flying in from Belarus.
PHOTO: GOOGLE STREET VIEW
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- Lithuanian airports in Vilnius and Kaunas closed due to meteorological balloons from Belarus, causing flight disruptions.
- "Tens of balloons" were detected, similar to previous incidents involving smuggler balloons carrying contraband.
- Lithuania threatened to close its border with Belarus if such incidents recurred, following prior closures.
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VILNIUS - Nato member Lithuania closed its two biggest airports on Oct 24 and shut crossings on its border with Belarus after helium weather balloons drifted into its territory, the third such incident in the Baltic nation this month.
European aviation has repeatedly been thrown into chaos in recent weeks by drone sightings and other air incursions, including at airports in Copenhagen, Munich and the Baltic region.
The Vilnius and Kaunas airports were closed for safety reasons until 2am (7am on Oct 25 in Singapore), while the Belarus border crossings will remain shut until midday on Oct 26, authorities said.
Lithuania has said balloons are sent by smugglers transporting contraband cigarettes, but it also blames Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, for not stopping the practice.
“The National Security Commission will meet next week to assess... what can be done short-term that would be painful to the smugglers and to Lukashenko’s regime, which allows them to thrive,” Lithuania’s Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said in a statement.
Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre said “tens of balloons” had been detected by radar on Oct 24.
Vilnius Airport also closed on Oct 21 of this week and on Oct 5, when smuggler balloons entered the capital city’s airspace, authorities have said. REUTERS
