Air and freight traffic in the Great Belt region was forced to stop yesterday due to a defect in the missile launcher on board a Danish warship. The National Shipping Authority warned of falling missile debris, and called on ships not to sail in the area and to anchor if necessary. The Danish military said the problem with the rocket launcher arose during a mandatory test.

The trigger has been activated and can no longer be deactivated. The statement said: “Until the missile launch pad is deactivated, there is a risk that the missile will be launched and it may continue to move several kilometers.” A naval exercise is currently underway in the area. The Great Belt Strait is the most important sea outlet to the Baltic Sea and one of the busiest sea lanes in the world.

The warning affected an area about four kilometers south of the Great Belt Bridge, which crosses the strait and is considered one of the largest bridges in the world. The operator said the bridge will remain open to traffic.

The Great Belt is located between the Danish islands of Funen and Zealand. Nearly half of the shipping traffic between the Baltic Sea and Kattegat – the connection to the North Sea – passes through the Great Belt. Ferry lines between Kiel, Oslo and Gothenburg also operate here.