Thu, 22 May, 2014 12:06:37 AM Finland seeks clarifications from Russia FTimes-STT Report, May 22  File picture of Defense Minister Carl Haglund. Photo – Lehtikuva. Defence Minister Carl Haglund said on Wednesday that thundery weather might have caused the violations of Finnish airspace by Russian state aircrafts on Tuesday.
The defence ministry meanwhile has sought clarification from the Russian authorities about the incidents, reported Yle.
The Finnish foreign ministry communicated with the Russian authorities and sent a formal request asking clarifications in this regard, the report added.
Talking to news agency STT, Haglund said it is possible that because of the thundery weather one or both of the planes had deviated from the original route and inadvertently drifted to the Finnish airspace due to safety reasons.
The minister, however, said that it was pointless to speculate on the incident until the matter was fully investigated.
Haglund also does not believe that the incident is related to the crisis in Ukraine.
The minister emphasised that airspace violations are always dealt with great seriousness. An investigation into the incidents by the border guard is underway.
The first suspected violation of the airspace took place over the Gulf of Finland at around 4:00 pm. The suspected aircraft spent a very short time in the Finnish airspace, according to Max Arhippainen, director of communications at the defence ministry
The second incident took place over the south of Porvoo about two hours after the first and lasted longer in the Finnish airspace.
The incidents prompted a flight inspection operation from the Finnish Air Force over the Gulf of Finland on Tuesday evening.
According to Yle, a loud boom was heard in Eastern Uusimaa as the fighter jets broke the sound levels. The defence ministry however did not reveal the details of the Finnish Air Force flight operation.
A few cases of airspace violations take place every year and often as a result of human error or weather condition.
The defence ministry said the latest cases are the second and the third violations of the airspace this year.
Last year, for example, there were two cases and there were three in the previous year. In 2011, there were four cases.
According to Arhippainen, a conclusion cannot be drawn to point that the number of incidents is on the rise. He also pointed out that it is a bit exceptional for two suspected incidents to occur on the same day.
More News
|
|
Finland Times
| Sunday, 28 April, 2024 |
|
Copyright © 2024 All rights reserved
|
||||
