Belgium: Drone sightings force temporary closure of Brussels Airport; PM De Wever convenes security meeting

Brussels [Belgium], November 6 : Dozens of flights at Belgium's main international airport were cancelled early on Wednesday after drone sightings overnight forced it to close temporarily, prompting Prime Minister Bart De Wever to call a meeting with senior ministers to discuss safety concerns.

According to EuroNews, the airport operator said about 400-500 travellers spent the night at Brussels Airport after 41 flights were cancelled and 24 were diverted to other airports. Beds, water and snacks were arranged to keep passengers comfortable.

It was the first time that Brussels Airport had been shut down because of drones. The incident overnight on Wednesday followed a series of unidentified drone flights over the weekend, EuroNews reported.

According to a EuroNews report, before the Brussels drone sighting, UAVs had also been spotted near a military base in Belgium where US nuclear weapons are stored.

Brussels Airport said that 54 flights were cancelled as a result of the Tuesday evening shutdown "for safety reasons," adding that "the safety of our passengers and staff remains our top priority."

In a post on social media later on Wednesday, the airport said flight operations had resumed, though some delays were expected.

Prime Minister De Wever has convened a meeting of Belgium's National Security Council, which includes the ministers of defence, interior, justice and foreign affairs, for Thursday morning.

Interior Minister Bernard Quintin wrote on social media that "the repetition of incidents linked to drones directly affects the security of our country. We must take action in a calm, serious and coordinated manner."

The operators of the drones have not yet been identified. However, Defence Minister Theo Francken said, "This is not the work of amateurs," without providing further details.

https://x.com/BrusselsAirport/status/1986002225332650126

Belgium hosts the headquarters of NATO and the European Union, as well as Europe's largest financial clearinghouse, which holds tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets, according to EuroNews.

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