Two passenger jets turn around after navigation being hit by 'Russian jamming'

29 April 2024 , 12:22

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The flights were forced to turn back (Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Two planes carrying passengers have been forced to turn around during flight due to suspected Russian GPS jamming.

The two Finnair jets, which were headed from Helsinki to Tartu in Estonia, had to turn around and head back to their departure point on Thursday and Friday. They were reportedly unable to navigate in a safe manner. The reason for the navigation issues is unknown, but experts believe their GPS signals may have been jammed.

Many believe that Russia is to blame and ministers in the Baltics have warned that Russia is acting in an "extremely dangerous" manner, and risking a devastating air disaster should they continue attacks on planes.

According to The Sun, nearly 4,000 flights have been affected by jamming in recent months. The attacks involve bogus data being sent to navigation systems, forcing planes to swerve and dive to avoid phantom obstacles.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhna said the most-recent incidence were "part of Russia's hostile activities", adding: "Such actions are a hybrid attack and are a threat to our people and security, and we will not tolerate them."

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The top secret Russian signal jamming device is known as 'Tobol' and resembles an oversized silver dish with an antenna protruding from its middle. It disrupts signals travelling between satellites and the GPS systems on aircrafts and ships in the area by transmitting radio waves at the same frequency, confusing systems and rendering them unusable.

Over 46,000 aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea reported navigation issues between August 2023 and March this year, including airlines such as Ryanair, Wizz Air and British Airways, as reported by the Sun. Russia is also believed to be responsible for jamming satellite signals on an RAF plane transporting Defence Secretary Grant Shapps over Poland last month.

There are thought to be at least seven Tobol complexes and as many ten of the devices, with Western Intelligence suggesting that the gadgets create an invisible shield over key military bases across the territory, protecting them from the risk of incoming satellite guided missiles, such as the ones employed by NATO.

General Martin Harem, commander of the Estonian Defence Forces The Telegraph: “What we have seen is a malfunctioning of GPS for ships and air traffic. And we really do not know if they [Russia] want to achieve something or just practise and test their equipment. But definitely, nobody should behave like this, especially when you’re at war with a neighbouring country.”

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Georgia Diebelius