Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily went on lockdown for several hours due to an unspecified security threat, prompting personnel to shelter in place.
A United States air base in Italy was placed under lockdown for several hours on Wednesday following a “security incident,” according to an official statement from Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella.
The base, located on the island of Sicily near Catania, announced the lockdown on its official Facebook page, advising personnel to avoid travel on the SP105 highway between the Marinai Housing Complex and parts of the base. While details regarding the nature of the incident were not immediately disclosed, officials later confirmed that the situation had been resolved without injuries.
Base Reopens After Temporary Lockdown
The lockdown alert was lifted around 11:25 a.m. local time (1025 GMT), allowing inbound and outbound traffic to resume at the NAS 2 base entry control point.
“Today’s shelter-in-place was ordered in response to a security incident. The situation was cleared at 11:25 a.m. and the shelter-in-place has been lifted,” the base announced on Facebook.
US Navy Confirms No Injuries
US Navy Lt. Andrea Perez, a spokesperson for the base, confirmed that no injuries were reported during the incident. However, further details regarding the nature of the security threat were not immediately made available.
Significance of NAS Sigonella
NAS Sigonella operates from an Italian Air Force facility and serves as a strategic military hub for the US Navy, NATO, and allied operations in the Mediterranean. It is home to MQ-4C Triton drones and P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft. The base also hosts US Space Force personnel responsible for detecting missile threats in the region.
According to the US Navy, NAS Sigonella has grown to be “the premier logistics base in the Mediterranean” and plays a crucial role in supporting US and NATO missions across the European theater.
Sources By Agencies
