Denmark Missile Malfunction Closes Major Shipping Strait

Denmark's navy issued a warning on Thursday regarding a potential missile launch caused by a technical malfunction. This led authorities to close airspace and alert ships in the vicinity of a potential accidental strike, as reported by CNN. The incident occurred aboard frigate HDMS Niels Juel during a routine test in Denmark's Great Belt strait, a crucial maritime passage to the Baltic Sea.

According to the Danish armed forces, the missile's booster was activated and cannot be deactivated, posing a risk of unintended launch. Specialists are being deployed to mitigate the situation and prevent any mishap. Although the missile is live, only the booster rocket is activated, limiting its range to the capacity of the rocket.

If an inadvertent launch occurs, fragments could potentially land in Danish waters, prompting temporary closure of a major shipping lane. The lane was reopened after six hours, as reported by the BBC.

The missile poses no threat to the Great Belt Bridge, clarified the armed forces. The Danish defence ministry stated that the missile contains 150kg of explosives but is unarmed and will not detonate upon impact with the sea.

A naval exercise in the area, ongoing since last month, is scheduled to conclude today. The danger zone extends 5-7 kilometers from the Korsor naval station, reaching a height of approximately 1000 meters above sea level.