Irish authorities have launched an urgent investigation after four unidentified drones violated restricted airspace at Dublin Airport on Monday evening, in what local media report may have been an attempted attack on the aircraft carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to Irish reports, the drones entered the airport’s no-fly zone along the exact approach path where Zelensky’s aircraft had been scheduled to land. The timing, investigators say, was so precise that the drones would have intersected with the presidential aircraft’s descent, had the flight not landed several minutes ahead of schedule.
Plane Landed Early, Foiling the Attempt
Zelensky’s aircraft touched down a few minutes earlier than anticipated, meaning that when the drones arrived in the restricted airspace, the plane was already safely on the ground.
Air traffic controllers monitoring the airspace reportedly detected the drones moving directly along the expected glide path, prompting an immediate alert to airport security and national police.
Drones Also Spotted Over Irish Naval Vessel
In a concerning development, the same drones were later detected flying above an Irish military vessel stationed offshore as part of the president’s security detail. The vessel had been discreetly positioned along the coast to provide additional protection during the high-security visit.
Investigators are now working to determine whether the drones were launched from land or deployed covertly from a ship operating at sea.
Investigation Underway
The Irish police service (Gardaí), military intelligence, and airport security units are jointly conducting the investigation. Authorities have not yet confirmed the origin of the drones, their operators, or whether they carried any payload.
Officials have also not disclosed whether Zelensky’s itinerary has been modified following the incident.
A Serious Breach of Airport Security
Drone incursions are taken extremely seriously in Irish airspace, particularly at Dublin Airport, where previous drone sightings have briefly halted operations. However, this event is significantly more severe due to the precision, targeted timing, and high-profile nature of the flight involved.
Authorities are expected to increase airspace surveillance around upcoming diplomatic visits as they continue to assess the threat level and identify those responsible for the attempted attack.
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) had implemented a no-fly zone for drones over and around Dublin to coincide with Zelensky’s visit.
