News / Major Danish shipping lane shut due to missile risk

Photo: Forsvaret - Danish armed forces

A failed missile launch has forced the closure of a major shipping lane and surrounding airspace off the coast of Denmark.  

The problem arose during a mandatory test where the launcher and booster had been activated but could not be disabled. 

The Danish military this afternoon urged ships headed towards the danger zone to drop anchor until the issue is resolved. 

It said: “Until the booster is deactivated, there is a risk that the missile could launch and fly a few kilometers.”  

The danger area is estimated to be up to 5-7km from naval station Port Korsør, where the frigate Niels Juel accidentally launched the missile. 

But Denmark’s military made assurances that any danger was not due to explosives, with the Norwegian defence ministry adding that although the missile contained 150kg of explosives, it was not armed and would not detonate if it crashed into the sea. 

“The Harpoon missile is a sharp missile, but only the booster is activated in connection with the test, and there is therefore no danger that the missile can be detonated or reach further than the booster rocket can lift,” said the military.  

Specialists are on their way to solve the problem, but it is unclear how long this will take.  

The Great Belt bridge, which crosses the strait, remains open to traffic. 

This is a breaking news story and is being updated.