Drone Suspends Flights at Major Belgian Airport
BRUSSELS – Authorities have halted departures at one of Europe’s largest cargo airports after a drone was spotted, reflecting a troubling pattern of such incidents across Belgium in recent weeks.
Christian Delcourt, the communications director for Liège Airport, reported that flight operations were disrupted from 9 PM Thursday until 1 AM Friday, with regular services resuming around 7 AM. It highlights just how impactful these sightings can be.
Earlier in the week, Belgium’s main airport in Brussels experienced significant cancellations on Wednesday after it had to close temporarily due to a drone sighting the night before. This prompted Prime Minister Bart de Wever to call for urgent government discussions.
Notably, this marked the first instance of Brussels airport being shut down because of a drone. It’s concerning especially given that this came on the heels of several unidentified drone flights over military installations where US nuclear weapons are stored
Moreover, additional drone sightings were reported near the Kleine Brogel base late Wednesday.
During the emergency discussions on Thursday, not much new information emerged. However, Defense Minister Theo Franken announced plans for the National Aviation Safety Center at Beauvechain Air Base to be fully operational by the start of next year.
“This center aims to bolster the monitoring and protection of Belgian airspace and to prepare for future aviation safety challenges,” Franken noted on social media.
NATO has not confirmed whether drones have been sighted near its headquarters in Brussels or other military sites in Belgium. This uncertainty only adds to the anxiety surrounding these events.
In recent months, drone-related disruptions at airports across Europe have become increasingly common, raising alarms among officials and the public alike. Although Russia has been implicated in some cases, Belgium hasn’t officially identified the operators behind these drones. Franken suggested that certain incidents might be part of what he termed an “espionage” campaign, something unlikely to be managed by amateurs.
Belgium is significant not only as the home of the EU headquarters but also as the location of Europe’s largest financial clearinghouse, which contains substantial frozen Russian assets. Some EU nations are eager to utilize these assets for loans to Ukraine, but Belgium has shown hesitance.
Recently, Prime Minister de Wever cautioned EU leaders about the potential for Russian retaliation if those funds were seized. EU leaders are set to delve into this matter further in an upcoming summit next month.
