Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The Belgian National Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today, Wednesday, according to VRT NWS. Prime Minister Bart De Wever responded to a request from Interior and Security Minister Bernard Quentin, according to local media.

The National Crisis Center has also been activated and is currently coordinating the situation. Minister Quentin emphasized that the safety of passengers and staff remains the top priority, and that the police and other relevant authorities are closely monitoring the situation. This comes after several drones were spotted over Brussels Airport on Tuesday evening, shortly before 8:00 PM. Air traffic was subsequently suspended and then resumed around midnight. Drones were also spotted over the Kleine-Brogel and Florennes air bases on Tuesday evening. Local media reported that disruptions continued at Brussels Airport on Wednesday morning, with at least 40 flights canceled. According to the Belgian newspaper Newsblad, flights at Brussels Airport were expected to resume on Wednesday, but 40 flights had already been canceled due to the drone incidents on Tuesday evening. This affected 16 departing and 24 arriving flights, according to a spokesperson for Brussels Airport. In addition, there were still numerous delays. The disruptions were attributed to some aircraft failing to reach their designated terminals overnight. Earlier, Brussels Airport had stated that the incidents on Tuesday evening could affect flights on Wednesday morning and did not rule out further disruptions. According to Belgian broadcaster VRT NWS, 13 flights had been canceled so far, and 10 others delayed. Long queues also formed outside the check-in counters of various airlines. On Tuesday evening, 41 flights were canceled, including 22 departures and 19 arrivals. As a result, between 500 and 1,000 people were forced to spend the night at the airport. Brussels Airport provided beds, food, and drinks. Around ten diverted flights landed at Ostend Airport, causing a long wait: "We were circling for ages without knowing what was happening."

Ostend Airport experienced exceptional congestion Tuesday evening. Around ten flights scheduled to land in Brussels, Charleroi, or Liège were forced to divert to the seaside resort after drones were spotted over those airports. This caused chaos on the ground and long waits for hundreds of passengers.

In neighboring Germany, Munich Airport's runway was temporarily closed Tuesday evening after a pilot spotted a drone. A police spokesperson confirmed this to the German Press Agency (dpa).

Around 7:45 p.m., a pilot reported seeing a drone while landing. The spokesperson said that security services investigated the incident but were unable to confirm the presence of the drone. The runway was reopened around 8:30 p.m. According to police, air traffic was not at risk.

Munich Airport in Germany announced in a notice posted on its website that flights scheduled for Saturday were delayed after several drones were spotted near the airport's airspace.

The airport advised passengers to contact [unclear - possibly "the airport"]. Airlines.

A statement on the airport's website read, "German air traffic control has decided to restrict flight operations at Munich Airport as a precautionary measure due to unconfirmed drone sightings and has suspended them until further notice." In a later update, the airport reported 23 diverted flights, 12 canceled or delayed flights to Munich, and 48 departing flights.