Brussels and Charleroi Flights Suspended After Suspected Drone Incursions

Post by : Raina Nasser

Belgium’s main airport in Brussels paused flight operations on Tuesday after multiple suspected drone detections triggered security alarms. An airport spokesperson said arrivals and departures were stopped as a safety precaution while the situation was assessed.

Charleroi Airport, the country’s second-largest civil airport, also suspended services as officials worked to establish the scope of the reports. No timetable has been given for when normal operations will resume.

Skeyes, Belgium’s air traffic control authority, is probing the incidents but has yet to issue an official statement. The airspace suspensions follow a spate of comparable drone disruptions recently recorded across Europe, including incidents in Germany and Denmark near airports and sensitive sites.

Authorities had earlier detected drone activity over the Kleine-Brogel military base, a location reported to host US nuclear assets; Belgium’s military intelligence service has opened an inquiry to trace the origin and purpose of those flights.

Defence Minister Theo Francken warned that it is premature to name culprits but said the patterns suggested the work of "professionals" operating in a coordinated manner. He characterised the actions as attempts to "sow panic and destabilise" the country.

Against the backdrop of heightened tensions stemming from the war in Ukraine, officials have not ruled out foreign involvement, including potential links to Russian actors. Investigations into the Brussels and Charleroi incidents remain ongoing.