Air traffic at Brussels Airport was briefly disrupted on Friday evening after a drone was spotted near the airport, prompting authorities to temporarily suspend runway operations, Belgium’s air traffic control operator Skeyes said.

Skeyes spokesperson Kurt Verwilgen said the airport’s established drone procedure was activated, requiring traffic on the runway to be halted for up to 30 minutes after the last sighting.

Local reports said aircraft were unable to land between about 9:45 p.m. and 10:10 p.m. while checks were carried out. Three flights were diverted as a result of the disruption, with two aircraft sent to Ostend and one to Liège before being expected to return to Brussels. Other flights were reportedly unaffected.

Verwilgen said the drone disappeared after being sighted. He declined to provide details about the type of drone involved or the number of flights affected.

The incident came nearly a year after a series of unexplained drone sightings around Belgian airports, military installations and sensitive infrastructure triggered heightened security concerns and repeated disruptions.

Belgium experienced several drone-related interruptions in November 2025, including temporary closures affecting Brussels Airport and other airports. The incidents prompted the government to strengthen its counter-drone capabilities, including the acquisition of defensive drones from a Latvian company. At the time, Belgian officials said the incursions bore possible signs of Russian interference, but acknowledged that they had no evidence proving Russian involvement. Moscow denied the allegations.

The latest incident also comes as Brussels Airport continues to strengthen its drone-detection capabilities. Airport authorities say unauthorized drone flights are prohibited around the airport because even small drones can pose a significant risk to aircraft during takeoff and landing. Skeyes uses a combination of visual observation and technical detection systems to identify suspicious or unauthorized drones.

The drone issue resurfaced again on Saturday evening, when another drone was reportedly spotted near Brussels Airport. Unlike Friday’s incident, the aircraft was reportedly detected both visually and by Skeyes' technical equipment. An investigation into the latest sighting is underway.

The repeated sightings are likely to renew concerns in Belgium over the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to unauthorized drone activity, although there has been no official indication that the latest incidents are connected or that they were carried out by a foreign state. (ILKHA)