Drone Incident Halts Flights at Sweden Gothenburg Airport

A major drone incident at Sweden’s Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport brought air traffic to a standstill on Thursday evening, prompting authorities to launch a sabotage investigation. Flights are now preparing to resume after the temporary shutdown caused widespread disruption at the country’s second-largest airport.

According to officials, one or more drones were detected near the Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport on Sweden’s west coast at approximately 16:41 GMT. The unexpected sightings forced more than a dozen flights to be rerouted or canceled as authorities scrambled to ensure passenger safety and secure airspace.

Police swiftly launched an investigation into what they described as a case of suspected aviation sabotage. “We have launched an investigation into suspected aviation sabotage,” a police spokesperson confirmed. Later in the evening, airport operator Swedavia announced that the situation had been brought under control. “Police have now informed us that the incident is over, and we therefore plan to start traffic back up again,” Swedavia stated.

This latest drone-related disruption adds to a growing list of similar incidents across Europe, which have raised serious security concerns. Several officials and analysts have suggested that some of these incidents could be part of hybrid warfare tactics allegedly linked to Russia, though Moscow has denied any involvement.

Earlier this week, multiple drone sightings in Belgium led to temporary closures at several airports and even a military air base, which the country’s defence minister described as a “coordinated attack.” Likewise, authorities in Norway and Denmark have reported similar drone scares in recent months, prompting temporary shutdowns at major airports including Oslo and Copenhagen.

In Norway, police have since closed an investigation into suspected drone activity that led to Oslo Airport’s shutdown in September, citing insufficient evidence of drones being present. Meanwhile, Denmark also witnessed temporary airport closures in September due to reported drone activity.

As airspace security becomes an increasing concern across Europe, aviation authorities are now reviewing safety measures to counter drone threats that can paralyze major transportation hubs. The Gothenburg incident underscores how a single drone sighting can disrupt hundreds of travelers and trigger nationwide security responses.

Swedish authorities have not yet disclosed who may be responsible for the latest drone activity, but the ongoing investigation aims to determine whether the incident was an act of deliberate sabotage or a case of unlawful drone operation.

With air traffic resuming and heightened security measures in place, Swedish officials continue to monitor the situation closely to prevent similar incidents in the future.