Brussels airport to renew flights after drone sightings

The principle airport in Belgium’s capital is predicted to renew regular operations on Wednesday, after halting some 80 flights after suspected drone sightings, a spokeswoman mentioned.

Some 400-500 passengers needed to spend the night time at Zaventem airport due to the sightings, Brussels Airport spokesperson Ariane Goossens informed AFP. “The state of affairs will return to regular through the day” as flights restart, she mentioned.

On Tuesday night time, air site visitors was additionally halted as a precaution on the second-largest airport Charleroi, operators there mentioned.

Skeyes, the corporate accountable for air site visitors management in Belgium, halted flights twice on Tuesday night time, round 8:00 pm  and round 10:00 pm, after suspected drones had been seen close to the Brussels-Zaventem airport and that of Liege.

The interruptions come after a latest spate of mysterious drone incidents focusing on airports and delicate army areas in a number of European nations, together with Germany and Denmark.

Suspicions have swirled over potential Russian involvement in elevated drone exercise throughout Europe, with pressure excessive because the battle in Ukraine drags by means of its fourth yr.

Over the weekend, Belgian authorities reported drone exercise over the Kleine-Brogel army base, the place plenty of US nuclear weapons are believed to be saved.

Belgian army intelligence mentioned it was conducting an investigation into the sightings.

Defence Minister Theo Francken on Monday refused to level the finger at Russia, however mentioned that it seemed to be a coordinated operation carried out by “professionals”.

“They’re making an attempt to sow panic in Belgium,” Francken informed native media. “That is destabilisation.”

(vib)