Drones caused considerable disruption to Belgian and Flemish aviation last night. Air traffic at Brussels Airport was halted for safety reasons. Drones were also again spotted above the Kleine-Brogel military base in Limburg, as well as above the Florennes military air base in Wallonia.
Shortly before 8 p.m., a drone was reported above Brussels Airport, Skeyes spokesperson Kurt Verwilligen told the Belga press agency.
‘For safety reasons, all air traffic has been suspended for the time being.’
VRT NWS learned from a reliable source that three drones had been spotted above the airport.
Some 16 departing Brussels Airlines flights were cancelled. The result: chaos and many stranded passengers and waiting families.
Flightradar showed how several Brussels Airlines aircraft diverted to other airports such as Ostend-Bruges, Charleroi (Brussels South), Eindhoven and Lille.
There are still delays and cancelled flights this morning.
Drones above Florennes and Kleine-Brogel
Drones were also again spotted above the air force base in Kleine-Brogel (Peer).
At around 6.30 p.m., members of the public reported seeing six drones, and the police also spotted two at the site.
Nothing was detected at the air base itself. The police called in a helicopter.
The base itself is on high alert. The federal police also arrived on the scene and suspicious vehicles in the area were checked.
There have been several reports of drones above the air base in recent times.
VRT News also learned that local residents saw drones above the military base in Florennes. This is where the first Belgian F-35 fighter jets are stationed.
Will Belgium’s Security Council meet?
Following the various drone sightings yesterday evening, Home and security minister Bernard Quintin (Francophone liberal MR) asked Prime Minister Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist N-VA) to convene the National Security Council as a matter of urgency.
‘We cannot accept our airports being disrupted by unauthorised drone flights. This requires a coordinated and national response,’ Quintin said.