Overview
- Belgian air traffic control said a drone was detected shortly before 1900 GMT near Brussels Airport, triggering an immediate suspension of departures and arrivals.
- Liège Airport and Charleroi also paused flight operations as a precaution following drone alerts reported by their operators.
- Brussels Airport reported cancellations and delays and diverted inbound planes to nearby hubs including Maastricht and Cologne, with FlightRadar24 later flagging a “Zero Rate” restricting arrivals until 1am UTC.
- It is the first time Brussels Airport has closed due to drone activity, according to local reports citing Skeyes and airport officials.
- The airport shutdown followed same‑evening drone reports over the Kleine‑Brogel and Florennes military bases, and the defense minister said the pattern appears espionage‑driven while stressing no attribution has been confirmed.