Moldova issued an air alert and closed its airspace for 70 minutes due to two Gerbera drones
The airspace of the Republic of Moldova was closed as an emergency measure for approximately one hour and ten minutes, from 10:43 PM to 11:53 PM on the night of November 28 to 29. This action was taken after two unidentified drones flew illegally over the national territory, posing a direct threat to aviation safety, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI).
The “Gerbera type” drones crossed the airspace heading from Stanislavka (Odessa) to Vărăncău (Transnistrian region) without being detected by radar. However, their noise was heard by the Otaci Border Police Sector patrol. Ukraine's border authorities later confirmed this information.
As a result, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Republic of Moldova ordered an immediate closure of the airspace.
Due to security concerns, two aircraft en route to Chișinău International Airport were diverted to an alternate airport in Romania. Additionally, an aircraft preparing for takeoff was temporarily grounded until the threat was resolved.
“For security reasons, the Paris-Chisinau (flight 5F 5902) and Barcelona-Chisinau (flight 5F 5512) flights, which were in the process of landing at "Eugen Doga" International Airport in Chișinău, were redirected to Bacau Airport in Romania. The Chisinau-Sharm El-Sheikh (flight 4V 7503) flight was also temporarily grounded until the danger was lifted. After 23:32, the airspace was reopened for takeoffs and landings, with temporary restrictions in the northern area until the drones were confirmed to have completely left national airspace,” stated the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).
According to the same source, no objects, debris, or elements posing a danger to the population were identified. Operational data confirmed that both drones had definitively exited the national airspace and moved deep into Ukrainian territory.
“The Republic of Moldova firmly condemns these illegal and dangerous actions, which have jeopardized the safety of civil flights and human lives. Such violations represent hostile acts of intimidation and destabilization, particularly in the context of the ongoing military aggression by the Russian Federation. We assure citizens that the situation regarding the unauthorized overflight of airspace was managed promptly and efficiently. The airspace was temporarily restricted to safeguard civil flights, and all security and surveillance measures were activated,” the MAI press release stated
Airspace temporarily closed after two drones fly over
The airspace of the Republic of Moldova was overflown by unidentified drones for the second time this week, according to the Border Police. On the evening of Friday, November 28, two unmanned aircraft flew across the country’s territory toward Ukraine and the Transnistrian region in northern Moldova. As a result, the airspace was temporarily closed, leading to delays for several commercial flights landing at Chisinau Airport, with one flight from Barcelona being diverted to Bacau.
According to the official announcement, “The Border Police was informed by the Air Operations Service of the Ministry of Defense regarding the overflight of the national airspace by two drones in the northern region of the Republic of Moldova.”
Data relayed to the authorities indicated that the drones “crossed the airspace of the Republic of Moldova in the direction of Stanislavka (Odessa region) and Vărăncău (a region on the left bank of the Nistru), and were undetectable on radar.”
Later, Ukrainian border guards stated that the drones continued their flight “in the direction of Velikaia Kosnita (Ukraine) and Ruslanovca in the Soroca district, crossing the state border multiple times.”
As a result of these developments, the airspace of the Republic of Moldova was temporarily closed. It was later reopened, except for the northern region, where security checks are ongoing.
"Based on the information received, procedural measures as per existing legislation are being implemented. The area where the drones have flown is being investigated, and to date, no objects posing a risk to public safety have been identified," stated the Border Police.
Delayed flights and diversions
Following the activation of security protocols, several flights at Chisinau International Airport experienced delays.
From the arrivals board, it was noted that:
The flight from Barcelona to Chisinau was redirected to Bacau, where it initially landed before taking off again and arriving in Chisinau at 02:08.
Other flights, including those from Paris, Milan, Rome, and Athens, also experienced delays.
According to data from an international airspace monitoring platform, aircraft were forced to circle in Romanian airspace until Moldovan airspace partially reopened.
This week witnessed multiple incidents involving drone attacks. On November 25, Russia launched a significant drone assault on Ukraine, during which six Russian drones were detected in Moldovan airspace. These drones crossed several areas, including Vinogradovca–Vulcănești, Dondușeni, Orhei, Tighina, Vadul lui Vodă, and Florești. One of the drones was observed at an altitude of approximately 1,500 meters, heading towards Romania.
In a related incident, a drone crashed onto the roof of a house in Cuhurestii de Jos, located in the Florești district. Residents in the vicinity were evacuated for safety.
