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Drone activity was detected Sunday evening over Belgium’s Doel Nuclear Power Plant and Liege Airport, prompting the temporary suspension of air traffic, officials confirmed.
According to energy company Engie, three drones were spotted flying over the Doel Nuclear Power Plant on Sunday evening.
Company spokesperson Hellen Smeets said the incident did not affect the facility’s operations and that authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
Energy expert Luc Pauwels told VRT NWS that Doel lies in a “no-fly zone,” calling the incident a clear breach of the restriction.
He added that the plant’s reactors were built to withstand impacts from small aircraft and large passenger jets, meaning drones pose no structural threat to the facility.
At around 7:30 p.m., the first drone was detected above Liege Airport, followed by two more sightings around 7:45 p.m., according to The Brussels Times. Air traffic was suspended as a precaution and resumed at 8:25 p.m.
The airport had also faced drone-related flight disruptions earlier in the week. Flights to and from Liege were temporarily halted twice due to drone sightings on Tuesday and Thursday.
Belgium has recently witnessed a surge in drone incidents, following similar reports from Poland, Romania, Estonia, and Denmark.
On Oct. 3, drone activity was recorded over the Elsenborn Military Training Camp, and on Oct. 25, at least four drones were spotted over King Albert Military Base in Marche-en-Famenne.
Additional drone sightings were reported at Kleine Brogel Air Base, a site used for both national and NATO operations, on Nov. 1 and 2.
Brussels Airport also experienced drone-related disruptions on Nov. 4 and 6.
Belgium’s National Security Council convened on Nov. 6 and decided that suspicious drones could be neutralized through police or military intervention if necessary.
The council also announced that the National Airspace Security Center (NASC) will become fully operational by Jan. 1, 2026, to strengthen airspace security measures.
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