Air traffic at Eindhoven airport in theNetherlandswas put on hold on Saturday night following several reports of drones, a senior official s...
Air traffic at Eindhoven airport in theNetherlandswas put on hold on Saturday night following several reports of drones, a senior official stated.
In a message posted on X this evening, Ruben Brekelmans, the defense minister, mentioned that the sightings in the southern Dutch city led to the suspension of both civilian and military air traffic.
Mr. Brekelmans mentioned that anti-drone units were placed on alert, as police conducted an investigation at the location — with flights resuming later around 10 p.m.
"Further examination is in progress, and we will act as required," he added.
The suspension occurs during a rise in unexplained drone sightings spreading throughout northern Europe, fueling new concerns about potential targeted interference at important military and civilian locations and suspected Russian involvement.
Only on Friday, unknown drones were observed hovering over Volkel Air Base – a critical facilityNATOlocation is just 24 miles north of the airport.
As per the defense ministry, soldiers used weapons to attempt to shoot down the aircraft, following its sighting between 7pm and 9pm local time.
The drones "left and were never retrieved," officials stated.
The Volkel Air Base is home to both Royal Netherlands Air Force units and a US Air Force squadron, and is regarded as one of the most secure military sites in the Netherlands.
Unidentified operations caused instant concern, as authorities declined to provide additional information regarding the drones.
In a subsequent message on X, posted just after 10pm on Saturday, Mr. Brekelmans stated: 'Flight activities at Eindhoven Airport have recently restarted.'
The Department of Defense has implemented actions, however, because of security considerations, it is not yet able to provide further details regarding the method used.
Unlawful interference with air traffic by drones is not acceptable. Therefore, we are implementing measures to address this issue.
The event comes after multiple high-profile closures in the area over the past few months.
In September, Europe faced a series of concerning airspace violations, as over 20 Russian drones entered Polish territory and three Russian military aircraft openly crossed Estonian airspace for 12 minutes.
Poland took extraordinary measures, shooting down drones within its own borders with assistance from NATO aircraft — an unprecedented move as it marks the first instance of an alliance member using defensive fire during Russia's conflict in Ukraine.
Multiple drones crashed into residential buildings and also struck a Territorial Defence Forces installation amid the turmoil.
As reported by the German newspaper Die Welt, five drones were flying directly toward a NATO facility that serves as a hub for transporting weapons and supplies into Ukraine, causing significant worry within the alliance. Later that day, two additional drones entered Lithuania, putting NATO headquarters on high alert.
The Dutch F-35s shot down the drones approaching the NATO base, but the event caused significant concern in Warsaw, leading Poland to activate Article 4 of the NATO treaty, prompting urgent discussions among member countries.
Since that time, mysterious drone activities, most without identified sources, have frequently caused disturbances in European air space.
In the same month, Copenhagen Airport experienced significant disruption for over four hours after two or three "large" drones were spotted in the vicinity, causing 35 flights to change course and leaving thousands of travelers stuck.
Norway's Oslo Airport was also closed temporarily on the same evening, following two arrests after drones were spotted near a military site.
Subsequent events have severely affected Brussels Airport in November and an airport in Liège, with Belgium's defense minister Theo Francken stating that these breaches were carried out by 'professionals' aiming to cause instability.
The surge in reports led to a strong political reaction.
President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, blamed Russia for conducting hybrid warfare aimed at 'creating discord' across Europe – however, she did not claim responsibility for all incidents.
Following the downing of Russian drones, NATO initiated a new operation to strengthen the defense of Europe's eastern border, stated its Secretary-General, Mark Rutte.
It's dangerous and intolerable. We cannot allow Russian drones to enter allied airspace," Rutte said, announcing operation "Eastern Sentry.
The operation utilized various resources combining air and land facilities.
The announcement came as Russia and Belarusinitiated a significant collaborative military operation.
The West 2025 exercises took place in Russia and Belarus, on the border withNATO's eastern flank.
MoscowThe Defense Ministry stated that the exercises will take place on Russian territory, as well as in the Baltic and Barents Seas.
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