Helsinki Airport to Hold Major Accident Drill on May 26

Helsinki Airport will host a large-scale accident response exercise, SAR2026, on May 26, 2026, between 09:00 and 15:00, involving personnel and vehicles from more than a dozen authorities and organizations.

The drill simulates a major aviation accident in the airport environment and fulfills an exercise requirement set by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It is designed to test and strengthen the preparedness of all participating agencies and improve inter-agency coordination in the event of a real emergency.

Air traffic will not be affected, and the airport will operate normally throughout the exercise. The public is not expected to experience any inconvenience, though unnecessary movement in the vicinity of the airport is discouraged for safety reasons and to ensure the drill runs smoothly.

Participants include Finavia, Finnair, Fintraffic, HUS, Eastern Uusimaa Police, Central Uusimaa Rescue Department, the National Bureau of Investigation, Norra, Norwegian, Vantaa-Kerava wellbeing services county's emergency medical services, the Finnish Red Cross, Finnish Customs, the Finnish Border Guard, and the Safety Investigation Authority Finland.