Swedish corvette HMS Stockholm patrols Jungfrufjarden in the Stockholm archipelago, Sweden, Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. Sweden's biggest submarine hunt since the dying days of the Soviet Union has put countries around the Baltic Sea on edge, with Latvia's foreign minister calling the incident a potential "game changer" in the region.Anders Wiklund/The Associated Press
Sweden's Armed Forces will keep the airspace above parts of Stockholm's archipelago closed as the country continues its search for a foreign vessel in its waters.
The operation follows three sightings off the shores of the Swedish capital in the past week. The airspace above the area will remain closed for civilian traffic until further notice, Jesper Tengroth, a spokesman for Sweden's armed forces, said by telephone today.
Sweden's army has deployed more than 200 personnel on corvettes, minesweepers and helicopters to look for what it said on Oct. 19 appeared to be foreign activity below the surface of the archipelago. Local news service TT said today the army is extending its search into open waters.
"We do not comment on exactly what resources we currently deploy or how many personnel are involved, but we keep the same pace as earlier," Tengroth said.
The 27-year old Swede who first spotted and photographed the vessel at the heart of the search told newspaper Aftonbladet there could be no doubt it was a submarine. Local media have speculated the vessel is Russian. The Swedish Armed Forces have declined to comment.
The development is the latest to remind the region of Cold War operations. Neighbouring Finland said in August it had suffered multiple airspace violations by Russian planes. The complaint was echoed by the Baltic nations which, unlike Sweden and Finland, are NATO members.