Belgium’s Liege airport temporarily halts flights after new drone sighting

Belgium’s Liege airport has temporarily halted flights for a second time this week after another drone sighting, the country’s air traffic control service reported.

A drone was spotted at about 7:30am (06:30 GMT) on Friday, forcing the airport to close for 30 minutes. Flights have now resumed, said a spokesperson for the Skeyes air traffic control service.

The disruption follows drone sightings over airports in Brussels and Liege on Tuesday evening, resulting in the diversion of some incoming planes and the grounding of others that were due to depart.

Dozens of passenger and cargo flights were cancelled, and some 500 passengers were forced to spend the night at Brussels airport in the Belgian capital.

The drone sightings in Brussels and Liege follow a similar incident on Saturday, when three unauthorised drones were spotted near a military base, according to Minister of Defence Theo Francken.

Drone sightings have become a constant in Belgium in recent days. The government called an emergency meeting on Thursday to address the issue. Francken has described the drone incursions as a coordinated attack, without specifying who is behind them.

‘Hybrid warfare’

Mysterious drones have also caused major disruptions across Europe in recent months amid deepening concerns that Russia’s war in Ukraine may spill over across Europe’s borders.

Since September, drones have been spotted near civilian airports and military facilities in countries including Denmark, Germany, and Norway.

Denmark’s intelligence service has linked the drone flights to Russia, and described them as a form of hybrid warfare intended to “put pressure on [Europe] without crossing the line into armed conflict in a traditional sense”, according to Reuters news agency.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called the incursions “hybrid warfare”. While she did not hold Russia responsible for the incidents, she said it was clear Russia’s aim was to “sow division” in Europe.

Moscow has denied any connection with the incidents, and there has been no evidence to directly link the drones to Russia.