Flights at multiple airports across Belgium, including Brussels Airport, experienced disruptions on Tuesday following suspected drone sightings. Liege Airport and Charleroi Airport were also affected, leading to flight suspensions and diversions. This marks a continuation of drone-related incidents in the region and at other European airports.
Widespread Disruptions
On Tuesday, suspected drone sightings led to the suspension of all departing and arriving flights at Brussels Airport, Belgium's busiest. A statement on the airport's website confirmed the situation, citing drone activity around the airport. Camp beds were observed being prepared for passengers inside the airport terminals.
Air traffic at Charleroi Airport, Brussels's second-largest, was also briefly halted as a precautionary measure. Flights initially diverted to Liege Airport before Liege itself closed due to suspected drone sightings. Subsequent diversions for flights included Ostend and Charleroi in Belgium, and Eindhoven and Maastricht in the Netherlands.
At Liege Airport, air traffic was suspended around 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT), briefly reopening an hour later before closing again.
Military Base Incidents
Tuesday marked the fourth consecutive night of reported drone sightings over Kleine-Brogel, a military base located near the Dutch border. Local media also reported sightings at the Florennes military airbase.
On Monday, Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken commented on the ongoing incidents at Kleine-Brogel, stating an an investigation was underway. He characterized the events as "a clear mission targeting Kleine Broge."
Broader Context
This series of events follows reported drone sightings near Ostend and Antwerp's Deurne airports over the weekend, according to Belgian news site VRT. Similar disruptions attributed to suspected drone sightings have recently occurred at other European airports, including those in Munich, Copenhagen, and Oslo.