Airports in Western Denmark Reopen After Drone-Related Closures

Airports in western Denmark resumed operations early Thursday following temporary closures caused by unidentified drones entering restricted airspace overnight. This marks the second such security event in Denmark within a week.
Billund Airport, the country’s second-largest, was shut down for about an hour, while Aalborg Airport—used for both civilian and military purposes—remained closed for three hours on Wednesday night. According to Danish authorities, drones were also detected near the airports in Esbjerg and Sønderborg, as well as near Skrydstrup Air Base, which houses Denmark’s F-16 and F-35 fighter jets. All the affected sites are situated on the Jutland peninsula.
A local resident reported seeing green flashing lights hovering directly above Aalborg Airport before moving westward, an observation supported by a video he captured.
National police stated that the drone activity mirrored a similar incident earlier in the week, which had disrupted operations at Copenhagen Airport late Monday and into early Tuesday. Officials described that earlier event as the most severe threat to Denmark’s critical infrastructure to date. While authorities hinted at a possible link to a broader pattern of drone-related disturbances across Europe—some suspected to involve Russian actors—no concrete evidence has been made public.
In response to these events, Denmark’s defence and justice ministers are expected to hold a press conference at 0700 GMT.