On Tuesday evening, suspected drone sightings led to the suspension of air traffic at Brussels Airport, Belgium’s busiest airport. This closure began around 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) and, although operations briefly resumed an hour later, the airport was forced to shut down again shortly after.
Liege Airport was also impacted by these drone sightings, with an uncertain timeline for when flights would be reinstated. Reports indicate that drones were sighted near military airbases, including Kleine-Brogel and Florennes.
In a statement released on its website, Brussels Airport noted that no flights were departing or arriving due to the ongoing drone situation and assured passengers that updates would be provided as more information became available. Images taken inside the airport showed preparations for passenger accommodations, highlighting the disruption to travel plans. Additionally, Charleroi Airport, the second-largest in Brussels, briefly halted air traffic as a precautionary measure.
Initially, flight diversions were implemented to Liege Airport; however, following drone sightings there, planes were rerouted to other nearby airports, including Ostend, Charleroi in Belgium, and Eindhoven and Maastricht in the Netherlands.
This incident marks the fourth consecutive night that Belgian authorities have reported drone sightings over Kleine-Brogel, a significant military base located near the Dutch border. Belgium’s defense minister, Theo Francken, confirmed that an investigation is currently underway, describing the drone activity as part of a targeted mission. Over the weekend, drone sightings were also reported near Ostend and Antwerp’s Deurne airports, raising concerns regarding airspace security across the region.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyk9k399lyo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss