Three drones were seen in the skies above the Doel nuclear power plant in northern Belgium on Sunday evening. The information was confirmed by a spokesperson for Engie, the company that operates the site. The incident, although it had no impact on the safety or operations of the plant, was immediately reported to the authorities.
Located on the banks of the Scheldt River, the Doel power station supplies much of the country’s north. Like other European nuclear sites, it is classified as a critical installation, with strict security boundaries and permanent aerial surveillance. Flying over this area without permission is strictly prohibited.
This episode comes as Belgium faces a series of similar incidents. Several hours before the Doel incident, Liège airport had to temporarily suspend operations after drones were spotted in its airspace. Other warnings have been recorded in recent days in several regions of the country.
Increased concern for Europeans
Belgian authorities have not yet determined the origin or purpose of the devices. The investigation was entrusted to the federal police and the Federal Nuclear Control Agency (AFCN), which coordinated the response with the army.
Overflight to nuclear sites is a growing concern for European countries. Prime Minister Bart De Wever also convened an emergency national security council this Thursday, November 6, after new reports of drones near major airports led to the closure of airspace overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. Behind these repeated incidents, it is possible that there is espionage or interference. Especially as an increase in drone flights deemed suspicious over sensitive places and infrastructure has affected other European countries in recent weeks, such as Denmark, Germany and Norway.
If all eyes are on the Kremlin and Moscow, Russia is ensuring that they are not behind the drones in Belgian airspace. “It is regrettable that the wave of speculation in Europe, especially in Belgium, continues to increase,” the Russian embassy in Brussels complained, the Tass news agency reported.
“We emphasize that the Russian Federation is in no way involved in drone operations in Belgian airspace. We are not interested in carrying out such activities,” continued the Russian Embassy in Belgium last week.
