Fact check: What are known instances of Swiss military accidentally crossing borders into Lichtenstein?

1. Summary of the results

There have been multiple documented instances of Swiss military accidentally crossing into Liechtenstein, with sources confirming at least five specific "invasions" over a 40-year period ^[1]. The most thoroughly documented incidents include:

• 1968: Five artillery shells hit a Liechtenstein ski resort ^[2]
• 1976: 75 Swiss Army members with packhorses entered 500 meters into Liechtenstein ^[2]
• 1985: Anti-aircraft missiles caused a forest fire ^{[2] [3] [4]}
• 1992: Swiss Army recruits set up an observation post in Triesenberg ^{[2] [3]}
• 2007: 171 Swiss soldiers wandered 2km into Liechtenstein during poor weather ^{[2] [4] [4] [3] [4]}

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements emerge from the analyses:

• All incidents were purely accidental and met with understanding from Liechtenstein authorities ^[1]
• The incidents were treated with remarkable diplomacy, with a Liechtenstein spokesman notably stating "It's not like they invaded with attack helicopters" ^[4]
• In the 2007 incident, Swiss authorities self-reported the violation to Liechtenstein, who weren't even aware it had happened ^{[4] [4]}
• These incidents were commonly met with the attitude that "No problem, these things happen" ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question might lead readers to assume these incidents were rare or isolated. However, the analyses reveal that:

• These crossings were relatively frequent, with three invasions occurring in just a 22-year period ^[5]
• The term "crossing" might understate some incidents, as they included artillery fire and missile launches that caused actual damage ^[2]
• The incidents varied significantly in scale, from small groups of recruits to company-sized units of 171 soldiers ^[4]
• Despite the frequency and potential seriousness of these incidents, the diplomatic relationship between the two countries remained strong enough that these were treated as minor incidents rather than international crises ^{[4] [5]}