Flights were suspended on Tuesday evening at Brussels and Liege airports in Belgium following sightings of drones that raised security concerns.
This incident marks the latest in a series of similar occurrences across Europe in recent months.
A drone was first spotted near Brussels Airport shortly before 8 p.m. local time (1900 GMT), prompting a precautionary halt to flights. Many incoming aircraft were diverted, while others were grounded before takeoff.
Brussels Airport reopened after two hours but was closed again after additional drone sightings were reported. The timeline for the resumption of flights remains uncertain. “There are no flights departing or arriving due to suspected drones,” a spokesperson stated.
The Liege Airport, primarily a cargo hub, also ceased operations due to the drone sightings, according to an airport spokesperson.
Belgium’s Defense Minister Theo Francken described the incident as likely orchestrated by professionals during an interview with the national public broadcaster on Tuesday night.
“They are trying to sow panic in Belgium,” he remarked. “This is destabilization.”
Just days prior, Francken had reported drone sightings over Belgium’s Kleine Brogel airbase, which is utilized by NATO forces. Some local media also reported additional drone sightings over the airfield on Tuesday.
In September, Copenhagen Airport was closed for several hours, and Oslo Airport was shut down for three hours due to drone sightings.
Additionally, there have been reports of suspected Russian drone incursions in Polish and Romanian airspaces in recent months.
