A drone is suspected to have flown over the Presidential Palace in downtown Helsinki on Monday afternoon.
An eyewitness told news agency STT that two men were seen flying a drone from the Market Square, just across the street from the landmark.
The eyewitness called emergency services about the incident and also went to speak to the men who were flying the drone.
According to the news agency, the men said they were tourists from Hong Kong.
A large swathe of airspace surrounding the Presidential Palace and other government buildings is a no-fly zone, which prohibits use of such devices.
"The police were notified about [the incident]. Emergency services ended the detail after it was determined that the drone was no longer flying in the prohibited area," Helsinki police inspector Markus Koskinen said.
There have been a number of recent sightings of drones flying in no-fly zones in Denmark, Norway and Germany, including near airports, which prompted the cancellation of several flights.
According to Koskinen, the Helsinki Police Department regularly receives reports about suspicious drone activity every week, and it often turns out that they are being flown by tourists.
Koskinen said that his "general feeling" is that drone observations in Helsinki have not particularly increased recently, adding that up-to-date statistics are not readily available.
There are a number of no-fly zones in the Finnish capital, including in airspace over the official residences of the president and prime minister in Meilahti as well as the guest statehouse in Munkkiniemi — where President Alexander Stubb and his family reside.
Additionally, it is also prohibited to photograph Finnish Defence Forces buildings in the city — as well as on the Suomenlinna fortress island — without prior permission.
However, Koskinen did not reveal details about the department's preparedness capabilities in terms of enforcing no-fly zones.
"We do not comment on what means and capabilities we have, but I can say that we have the capability to observe and respond. Of course, we aim to monitor strategic targets," Koskinen said.
