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Home NATIONAL2 US aircraft suspected of violating Finnish airspace
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Mon, 24 Aug, 2015 12:01:36 AM
FTimes – STT Report, Aug 24
 
US Air Force (USAF) four-engine transport aircraft C-17.File Photo AFP-Lehtikuva.
Two aircraft of the United States Air Force are suspected to have violated the Finnish airspace south of the Åland Islands on Sunday, the Ministry of Defence said.
 
The C-17 aircraft flew from the east to the west at around 5.00 pm on Sunday.
 
The airspace violation lasted for slightly over 15 minutes.
 
The Ministry of Defence Chief of Communications Max Arhippainen did not give much away and refused to divulge how the aircraft were detected in the Finnish airspace.
 
Arhippainen also did not comment whether the country intends to get in touch with the United States following the suspected airspace violation.
 
Arhippainen said the matter will be investigated and the case has moved to the Finnish Border Guard for investigation.
 
US Air Force (USAF) four-engine transport aircraft C-17. File Photo Lehtikuva.
Similarly, the Border Guard failed to confirm to the news agency STT whether the aircraft were contacted over the radio or whether any aircraft was sent to identify the objects.
 
“The information came to us through the defence ministry. We do not know how they identified the aircraft. The incident will be investigated,” said Captain Lieutenant Matti Hägerström from the Western Finland Coast Guard District.
 
The aircraft flew in the Finnish airspace for a relatively long period.
 
“Fifteen minutes is a long time, but this is influenced by the direction which the aircraft were heading or which route they were taking. Everything is possible, but at such an early stage of investigation we cannot yet comment,” Hägerström added.
 
Before the recent incident, the Finnish airspace had been violated once, Kristian Vakkuri, a senior adviser at the defence ministry, confirmed to STT.
 
A Russian transport aircraft violated the Finnish airspace for about a minute in June.
 
Furthermore, a Polish aircraft was suspected to have violated the Finnish airspace in March.
 
United States aircraft are known to have violated the Finnish airspace this decade. There have been a few cases, according to Hägerström, but they are not common.
 
“Very rarely, if I may say,” Vakkuri said.
 
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