Brussels Airport Temporarily Closes Due to Drone Sightings

Brussels Zaventem Airport temporarily suspended all flights on Tuesday evening following reports of drone activity in its airspace. The initial sighting occurred around 8 p.m. local time, prompting the diversion of incoming flights to alternative airports such as Ostend-Bruges and Charleroi Brussels South.

A spokesperson for skeyes, the public company responsible for Belgium's civil airspace, stated, "For safety reasons, all air traffic has been temporarily halted."

Operations briefly resumed but were halted again after a second drone was detected. Liège Airport, which had received some of the diverted flights, also closed its airspace following a separate drone sighting.

These incidents come amid heightened vigilance by NATO and the European Union due to recent airspace violations attributed to Russia. In September, Russian drones reportedly entered Polish airspace, leading to the activation of NATO's Article 4 and the launch of Operation Eastern Sentry to bolster defense along the alliance's eastern flank.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized the alliance's commitment to defending its members, stating, "We see drones violating our airspace. Whether it was intentional or not, it is unacceptable. The allies have expressed full solidarity with Poland. It is crucial to counter aggression and defend every member of the Alliance."

The recent drone sightings over Brussels and Liège airports have raised concerns about the security of European airspace and the potential for further disruptions.