Belgium’s Brussels and Liege airports were shut down on Tuesday evening due to drone sightings, resulting in the diversion of several incoming flights and the cancellation of others taking off. Kurt Verwilligen, a spokesperson for the Belgian air traffic control service, announced that a drone was spotted near Brussels Airport, prompting its immediate closure as a safety measure. Although the country’s busiest airport briefly resumed operations after a two-hour disruption, it was forced to close again following additional drone sightings, with no clear indication of when flights would resume.
Brussels Airlines, the national carrier, reported that 15 departing flights were grounded, while eight incoming flights were redirected to alternative airports. Liege Airport, primarily used as a cargo hub, was also affected by drone sightings, leading to its closure. This incident followed previous drone sightings over a Belgian military air base during the weekend.
Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken expressed concerns to public broadcaster RTBF, suggesting that the drone incident on Tuesday was orchestrated by skilled individuals aiming to destabilize the country. Drone-related disruptions have been prevalent across Europe in recent months, with instances such as the closure of Copenhagen Airport for four hours and Oslo Airport for three hours due to drone activities. Additionally, suspected Russian drone incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace have been reported. Munich Airport also faced closures on two occasions within a 24-hour period due to drone interference.