Belgium’s Brussels and Liege airports were shut down on Tuesday evening due to drone sightings, causing disruptions to incoming and outgoing flights. According to Kurt Verwilligen, a spokesperson for the Belgian air traffic control service, a drone was spotted near Brussels Airport, prompting its closure as a safety measure.
Following a brief reopening after initial disruptions, Brussels Airport was shut down again due to additional drone sightings, with no clear timeline for flight resumption. National carrier Brussels Airlines reported that 15 outbound flights were grounded, and eight incoming flights were redirected to alternate airports.
Liege Airport, primarily a cargo hub, also ceased operations due to drone sightings. These incidents come after drones were observed over a Belgian military air base over the weekend. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken expressed concerns that the recent drone activity was orchestrated by professionals seeking to destabilize the country.
Recent months have seen drone-related disturbances across Europe, with Copenhagen Airport closed for four hours and Oslo Airport for three hours in September due to drone sightings. Suspected Russian drone incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace have also been reported. Munich’s airport faced closure twice within a 24-hour period due to drone incidents.