A NUMBER of drones have been spotted flying over a French military airbase.
It comes just hours four Danish airports were forced to shut down after the devices buzzed overhead.
AFP
The drones were spotted over a military base in Marne, north eastern France, on Sunday evening.
Security measures have been put in place after the “exceptional” event, authorities said.
The small devices were not “piloted by military personnel” and there is current no evidence to suggest this could be foreign interference, they added.
It comes as Aalborg Airport in Denmark was closed indefinitely on Wednesday evening after drones were spotted circling above, police confirmed.
Martin Svendsen, sales and marketing director at the airport, said: “It is correct that the airspace is closed because drones have been observed.
“I can confirm that the police are present.”
North Jutland Police posted on X: “Drones have been observed near Aalborg Airport and the airspace is closed.
“The police are present and investigating further.”
At least three flights were diverted — two back to Copenhagen and one from Amsterdam rerouted to Billund — after the sudden lockdown.
It is not yet known how many drones there are or where they came from.
Aalborg sits in northern Denmark’s Jutland region and ranks as the country’s fourth-biggest city by population.
Danish authorities said they have reached out to Nato about the string of drone incursions – and may initiate Article 4 of the alliance.
Nato’s Article 4 triggers a serious discussion with member countries on security matters.
It is usually initiated if any member country believes that its own or another country’s territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened.
In a news conference this morning, Peter Hummelgaard, Denmark’s justice minister, said the country was facing “hybrid threats” which are “here to stay”.
He said authorities are working around the clock to find out who launched the drones and why they were sent out.
When asked about Russian involvement, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen today said there is no evidence yet that Russia is behind the drone incursions.
He said that the drones were launched “locally” by a “professional actor” – though he added that this different from previous incidents.
The defence chief said: “There can be no doubt that everything points to this being the work of a professional actor when we are talking about such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time.
“This is what I would define as a hybrid attack using different types of drones.”