Suspected drone sightings have disrupted flights at airports across Belgium on Tuesday, with no flights departing or arriving at Brussels Airport - the country's busiest. Air traffic there was suspended around 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) after a drone sighting. An hour later it briefly reopened, before closing again shortly after.
Liege Airport has also been affected and it is not clear when flights will resume. Local media also reported drone sightings at the Kleine-Brogel and Florennes military airbases.
This incident is part of a series of recent drone sightings causing disruptions at various European airports, including those in Munich, Copenhagen, and Oslo.
A statement on the Brussels Airport website read: There are currently no departing or arriving flights at Brussels Airport due to drone sightings around the airport. We monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as soon as we have more information. Pictures captured within the airport show camp beds being set up for affected passengers.
Local officials confirmed that Charleroi Airport also temporarily halted air traffic as a precautionary measure. Initially, some flights were diverted to Liege before that airport also had to close due to the drone sightings.
On consecutive nights, Belgian authorities reported drone sightings near Kleine-Brogel military base, prompting an investigation and strong statements from the defense minister regarding the seriousness of the situation.
Drone activities near airports like Ostend and Antwerp's Deurne have also been noted recently, raising concerns across the country about air travel safety.
