Brussels Airport resumes normal operations after drone sightings grounded 80 flights, forcing 400-500 passengers to stay overnight at the terminal.
BRUSSELS: Brussels Airport is expected to resume normal operations on Wednesday after drone sightings forced the cancellation of approximately 80 flights.
Around 400-500 passengers had to spend the night at Zaventem airport due to the disruptions, according to airport spokeswoman Ariane Goossens.
“The situation will return to normal during the day” as flights restart, she told AFP.
Air traffic was also halted as a precaution at Charleroi, Belgium’s second-largest airport, operators confirmed.
Skeyes, Belgium’s air traffic control company, suspended flights twice on Tuesday night around 8:00 pm and 10:00 pm after suspected drones were spotted near Brussels-Zaventem and Liege airports.
These interruptions follow a recent spate of mysterious drone incidents targeting airports and sensitive military locations across several European countries.
Suspicions have emerged about potential Russian involvement in increased drone activity across Europe amid ongoing tensions from the Ukraine war.
Over the weekend, Belgian authorities reported drone activity over the Kleine-Brogel military base, where US nuclear weapons are believed to be stored.
Belgian military intelligence confirmed it is conducting an investigation into the sightings.
Defence Minister Theo Francken refused to directly blame Russia but described the incidents as a coordinated operation by “professionals”.
“They are trying to sow panic in Belgium,” Francken told local media. “This is destabilisation.” – AFP
