Drone threat disrupts schools and daycare centres in Finnish capital region

A suspected drone threat caused confusion and delays at schools and daycare centres across the Helsinki metropolitan area on Thursday morning, with some municipalities postponing opening times while others struggled with inconsistent communication, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

In Nurmijärvi, authorities considered closing schools entirely but ultimately opened them once the threat had passed. Daycare centres were instructed to remain open, though families were advised to keep children at home if possible. “If schools had closed, we would have ensured care for students already on site—but this wasn’t necessary,” said Tiina Hirvonen, the municipality’s education director. Some local reports initially suggested schools and libraries would remain shut.

Vantaa delayed the start of its school day until 10 a.m., notifying parents via the Wilma communication system—though not all families received the update in time. Students arriving early, including those by taxi, were supervised as usual. “Staff were prepared to receive children who arrived before the delayed start,” confirmed Pepita Kaskentaus, Vantaa’s education chief. The decision to postpone was made while the threat was still active, with instructions issued to headteachers at 7 a.m.

In Helsinki, official guidance reached parents only after the threat had ended, leading to mixed messages. Some private schools independently notified families of delays via Wilma, while municipal daycare centres faced staffing shortages as employees followed advice to stay indoors or dealt with public transport disruptions. “This naturally caused some confusion,” acknowledged Satu Järvenkallas, Helsinki’s education division director. The city’s crisis team had convened at 6:30 a.m. to monitor authorities’ updates but did not preemptively close facilities. Meanwhile, 26 of Helsinki’s 86 Finnish-language primary schools were already closed Thursday for previously scheduled days off.

Espoo acted earliest, issuing guidance to schools and daycare centres before 7 a.m., when the threat was ongoing. “We learned of the situation just before 6 a.m. and immediately relayed instructions to shelter indoors,” said Merja Narvo-Akkola, head of Espoo’s growth and learning division. Some daycare centres—normally opening at 6:30 a.m.—advised parents to delay drop-offs until the all-clear was given shortly after 7 a.m.

Municipalities are now reviewing their crisis response protocols. Helsinki’s education leadership will analyse communication flows in a meeting on Tuesday, while Espoo plans to evaluate its procedures. “These situations always come unexpectedly. We’ve never faced anything quite like this before,” Narvo-Akkola noted.