Lithuania's Vilnius Airport Reopens After Weather Balloon Intrusion

Vilnius Airport in Lithuania has resumed operations following a brief closure due to the intrusion of weather balloons from Belarus. The incident occurred on Tuesday night, leading to a temporary suspension of services.

Located about 30 kilometers from Belarus, Vilnius Airport has experienced over ten similar closures since early October 2025. Concerns about aviation safety prompted these measures, with each closure lasting until the risk was assessed and deemed manageable.

The latest disruption saw airport traffic halted for 75 minutes. This decision was made after Lithuania's crisis management center informed the airport at 1830 GMT about the potential risk posed by the weather balloons. Normal operations were quickly restored.