The drone was discovered at an air force base in the Netherlands on Friday. There have now been further sightings at Eindhoven airport. Where the drone came from is still unclear. Flight operations were suspended.
Once again, several drones were spotted in the Netherlands. This time at the airport in Eindhoven. Civil and military air traffic has been suspended, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced on Platform X. Therefore, further investigations are still ongoing. “We will take action if necessary,” the minister continued.
A spokesperson for Eindhoven Airport confirmed the incident to news agency dpa. It said that air traffic was temporarily impossible. Flights were also diverted via Germany, according to the airport’s website. It is still unclear where the drone came from.
Eindhoven Airport in the south of the Netherlands is the second largest airport in terms of passenger traffic after Amsterdam Schiphol.
Soldiers shoot down drone near Nijmegen
On Friday evening, soldiers from the Dutch air force base in Volkel had used weapons against drones flying over it, the Ministry of Defense in The Hague announced.
After the incident at the airfield not far from the city of Nijmegen near the German border, the missiles disappeared and were not seen again, he said. For security reasons, the ministry would not explain how the drone was discovered and what weapons specifically were used against it.
A spokesman for the Dutch gendarmerie, which is responsible for border protection, told the ANP news agency that the drone had been shot at. The incident is currently being investigated by the police.
Major incident in September
In recent months there have been drone sightings and airspace violations in several EU countries. In September, more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, prompting NATO to deploy fighter jets and “Patriot” anti-aircraft systems.
Drones have also reportedly attacked military bases and critical infrastructure in Germany, Belgium, Sweden and Denmark, sometimes causing significant disruption to flight operations at airports. In early November, Belgium reported, among other things, sightings of a nuclear power plant near Antwerp. The rise in incidents has prompted European Union leaders to discuss strengthening air defenses.
Federal Cabinet Plan Legal changes
In Germany, the new Federal Cabinet introduced changes to the Aviation Security Law on Wednesday. By doing this, the federal government wants to strengthen the Bundeswehr’s power to defend itself against drones. The armed forces can then also use armed force in emergency incidents. To achieve this goal, police authorities must be better prepared to defend against drones.
In the summer and autumn, incidents involving drones brought flight operations at Munich Airport to a halt several times, and Berlin-Brandenburg, Bremen and Hanover airports were also affected. Sightings are also increasingly being reported at industrial facilities, ports and energy infrastructure.
The federal government suspects Russia is behind most of the incidents. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt recently amended the police law and announced the creation of a drone competency center.
