Brussels Airport is expected to reopen after drone presence

2025-11-05 09:59:38, Kosova & Bota CNA

The main airport in the Belgian capital is expected to resume operations on Wednesday after suspending around 80 flights due to suspected drones, a spokeswoman said.

Around 400-500 passengers were forced to spend the night at Zaventem airport due to the presence of drones, Brussels airport spokeswoman Ariane Goossens told AFP.

"The situation will return to normal during the day" with the resumption of flights, she added.

On Tuesday evening, air traffic was also suspended for security reasons at the second-largest airport in Charleroi, operators there announced.

Skeyes, the company responsible for air traffic control in Belgium, halted flights twice on Tuesday evening, around 8:00 p.m. and again around 10:00 p.m., after suspected drones were spotted near Brussels-Zaventem and Liège airports.

The flight disruptions come after a series of mysterious drone incidents that have targeted airports and sensitive military areas in several European countries, including Germany and Denmark.

Suspicions have focused on possible Russian involvement in the increase in drone activity in Europe, at a time when tensions remain high as the war in Ukraine continues into its fourth year.

Over the weekend, Belgian authorities reported drone activity over the Kleine-Brogel military base, where a number of US nuclear weapons are believed to be stored.

Belgian military intelligence said it is conducting an investigation into the presence of these drones.

Defense Minister Theo Francken on Monday did not directly accuse Russia, but said it appeared to be a coordinated operation carried out by "professionals."

"They are trying to spread panic in Belgium. This is destabilization," Francken told local media./REL