USAF cargo aircraft enters Finnish airspace without permission

News 24.8.2015 10:16 | updated 24.8.2015 10:49

Ministry: US planes violated Finnish airspace

This marks the second encroachment of the year following an incursion by a Russian aircraft in June, says the Defence Ministry.

A file photo of a United States Air Force Boeing C-17 transport aircraft. Image: Fabrice Coffrini / AFP

Two American C-17 military transport planes are suspected of violating Finnish airspace on Sunday evening, the Ministry of Defence says.
The apparent violation took place south of the maritime province of Åland around 5 pm Sunday. It lasted around 15 minutes, Defence Ministry communications director Max Arhippainen told Yle on Sunday evening.
"Around five o’clock, two US transport aircraft violated Finnish airspace for about a quarter of an hour. They were C-17 aircraft," he said.
According to the ministry, the American planes were flying westward. Arhippainen said that the Border Guard is investigating the incident.
"We’ll decide on follow-up measures based on their conclusions," he added. The ministry issued a statement about the incident around 9 pm.
"Usually we study quite carefully what has happened before we make an announcement, and confirm the news," Arhippainen noted.
He said that this was the second suspected violation of Finland’s airspace this year.
"After Midsummer [in late June], a Russian plane crossed briefly into Finnish territory. This was the second violation this year," said Arhippainen.