Belgium faced disruptions at Brussels and Liege airports on Tuesday evening due to drone sightings, leading to flight diversions and halting takeoffs. Kurt Verwilligen, a spokesperson for Belgian air traffic control, confirmed the closure of Brussels Airport following a drone sighting as a precautionary measure. Despite a brief reopening after two hours, the airport shut down again due to additional drone sightings, with no clear timeline for resuming flights.
Brussels Airlines reported that 15 outbound flights were grounded, while eight incoming flights were redirected to alternative airports. In a similar incident over the weekend, drones were spotted at a Belgian military air base. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken suggested that the recent drone activity was orchestrated by skilled individuals aiming to disrupt the nation.
Additionally, Liege Airport, primarily utilized for cargo operations, was also shut down due to drone sightings. This occurrence is part of a trend of drone-related disturbances across Europe. Similar incidents have occurred at Copenhagen Airport, Oslo Airport, and Munich Airport in recent months, with suspected Russian drone intrusions into Polish and Romanian airspace. These events underscore the growing concerns surrounding drone disruptions in critical airspaces.
