German and Latvian air forces detect Russian MIG-29 jets in Baltic Sea airspace, causing rerouting of Finnair flight

The German and Latvian air forces reported on Wednesday that they detected two Russian MIG-29 fighter jets in the international airspace over the Baltic Sea. The NATO air defense is handled from bases in Estonia and Lithuania.

As part of a NATO operation, a German Eurofighter was again launched to identify the two Russian MIG-29 fighters, which were flying without a flight plan or contact with civil air traffic control in international airspace over the Baltic Sea, stated the German Air Force.

Latvia’s Air Force also reported on the incident, stating, “Latvian skies are always secured! As part of a NATO mission, Eurofighters flew over the Baltic Sea and identified two MIG-29 fighters without a flight plan and contact with civil air traffic control in international airspace.”

On Wednesday afternoon, at least one Finnair flight was rerouted, confirmed Jenni Kiiski, Finnair’s Head of Communications. According to a passenger interviewed by Helsingin Sanomat, the captain of a plane traveling from Hamburg to Helsinki announced that the rerouting was due to “Russian planes”.

However, according to Leena Huhtamaa, the Head of Responsibility and Communication at Fintraffic, the rerouting was not due to avoiding other aircraft, but rather it was due to weather conditions. “There has been normal air traffic control activity. There has been some rerouting due to thunderstorms, but nothing more specific,” said Huhtamaa.