The Danish armed forces have reported a missile malfunction aboard a naval vessel, prompting the shutdown of airspace and maritime routes surrounding a crucial shipping channel along the Danish coastline.
The National Maritime Authority has issued a cautionary advisory urging vessels to steer clear of a section of the Great Belt strait, citing the potential danger of debris from falling missiles
In light of an ongoing naval exercise initiated in the region last month and scheduled to wrap up by Friday, ships have been urged to anchor if required.
The closure of the zone, as reported by Danish media, may see an end with a potential reopening slated for Thursday evening, according to the latest updates.
The Danish military, in a statement, clarified that the missile incident occurred “during a mandatory test phase, where the activation of the missile launcher became inoperative, despite attempts to deactivate it.”
“Until the missile launcher is deactivated, there is a risk that the missile can fire and fly a few kilometres away,” the military added.
The missile was launched from the Niels Juel frigate, which has been part of Nato’s standing naval force since 2023.
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The warning covered an area south-west of the town of Korsor, some 4km (2.5 miles) south of the Great Belt bridge, which crosses the strait.
The bridge remained open to traffic, its operator said.
Highlighting the contents of the missile, the defense ministry stated that it carried 150kg of explosives but reassured that it was unarmed, eliminating any risk of detonation upon entering the sea. This episode in the Great Belt strait concludes a challenging week for Denmark’s maritime defense.
Gen Flemming Lentfer, the chief of defense, faced dismissal on Wednesday due to his failure to report a malfunction in the weaponry systems aboard a Danish frigate, the Iver Huitfeldt, while deployed in the Red Sea.
Troels Lund Poulsen, Denmark’s defense minister, expressed a loss of confidence in Mr. Lentfer, citing his failure to notify the defense ministry about the frigate’s radar and missile systems malfunctioning during an attack by a drone operated by Houthi militants.
As part of its operations, the Iver Huitfeldt contributed to the protection of commercial sea traffic from Houthi attacks, in parallel with their campaign to support Palestinians following Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
There were no casualties among the crew or damage to the ship during the deployment, with both emerging unharmed.