Lithuanian civil aviation admits fact of Swedish flight

Alvydas Sumskas, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation Administration of Lithuania, does not rule out an administrative case in connection with the flight may be opened.

“We are discussing a question of initiating an administrative case. It is possible in theory, but the case may be futile in practice,” Alvydas Šumskas told BNS news agency.

To initiate the case, Swedes should be invited to come and give explanations for a police report and then sign it, Euroradio says.

“I have doubts that they will come. The case may be closed in six months. We are discussing the issue now and consulting with lawyers,”  Šumskas said.

He refers to the readings of radars of Oro Navigacija company, which offers air traffic, communication and navigation services. According to them, the plane took off from Pociūnai aerodrome at 5 a.m. and disappeared from radar screens at about 6 a.m. near Šalčininkai. The plane again appeared in the same district at 7:34 a.m. and returned to the aerodrome.

The Lithuanian Minister of National Defence, Rasa Juknevičienė, denies the fact of the airspace violation.