Two Norwegian airports briefly closed after drone spotted

The airport in Norway’s second-largest city briefly closed Wednesday after area residents spotted at least one drone nearby, authorities said, Report informs, citing AP.

The Norwegian army and state-owned airports operator Avinor were notified after the first drone sighting at Bergen Airport was reported at 4:15 a.m., police spokesman Ørjan Djuvik said. Other sightings were reported later.

“There can also be observations that could be other phenomenon, for instance weather,” Djuvik said. “We are unsure whether it is one or more drones, but we are sure that there is at least one.”

Norwegian news agency NTB said the airport in Bergen is located near Norway’s main naval base and the air space was closed. The Haakonsvern base is one of northern Europe’s largest maritime military bases.

North of Bergen, a drone also was reported near the small, domestic Foerde airport, which also closed temporarily, NTB said.

Numerous drone sightings have been reported near Norwegian offshore oil and gas platforms and infrastructure in recent weeks.

Airport operator Avinor told NRK on Tuesday that 50 possible drone observations have been reported at civilian airports so far this year, 27 of them since July.

NTB said 17 and 14 drone sightings were reported in 2021 and 2020, respectively, while the number was 44 in 2019.