The U.S. Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella in Italy was placed on lockdown for several hours Wednesday following an unspecified security incident, military officials said. No injuries were reported.
According to an official statement posted on the base’s Facebook page, NAS Sigonella was locked down “due to an ongoing situation.” Initial reports suggested the incident occurred at a base entry gate, with military personnel instructed to “avoid traveling on highway SP105 between Marinai Housing Complex” and part of the base.
Authorities did not immediately disclose details about the cause of the lockdown. However, after several hours, base officials announced that the security alert ended around 11:25 a.m. local time (1025 GMT) and normal traffic was allowed to resume.
“We are grateful to our Navy Security Force personnel for their quick response,” the statement read.
U.S. Navy Lt. Andrea Perez, a spokesperson for the base, confirmed that no injuries were reported and that further details would be provided later in the day.
An Italian defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with regulations, later confirmed that the lockdown was triggered by a “false alarm” that initiated standard security procedures.
NAS Sigonella, located near Catania on the island of Sicily, serves as a key military installation for both the U.S. and Italian armed forces. The base hosts U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft and MQ-4C Triton drones. Additionally, a U.S. Space Force unit operates from the base, focusing on missile threat detection in the region.
Military officials have not indicated any further security concerns following the incident.
