A Red Sea Airlines passenger charter from Hurghada, Egypt, to St Petersburg diverted to Helsinki-Vantaa overnight on 16–17 October after Pulkovo Airport temporarily suspended arrivals and departures during a drone alert in the Leningrad region. The Boeing 737-800 landed in Finland, refuelled and later continued to its original destination, making the stop an operational diversion rather than a termination of the journey.
The aircraft was identified by one report as registration SU-RSB, while flight numbers differed between reports. Pulkovo identified the service as 4S321, whereas Finnish and other reporting referred to it as RFX321. The flight number could not be independently reconciled before publication.
Pulkovo’s temporary restrictions followed reported Ukrainian drone activity near St Petersburg. Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that two drones had been shot down near the city overnight, while Finnish authorities confirmed that the aircraft had landed at Helsinki-Vantaa during the disruption.
Finland also temporarily restricted maritime and air traffic in part of the eastern Gulf of Finland on two consecutive mornings because of drone-related safety concerns. At least 16 Pulkovo flights were reportedly delayed by more than two hours. Exact touchdown and departure times, as well as the number of passengers carried, were not available.