Air traffic at Eindhoven Airport was suspended after multiple drone sightings, prompting deployment of counter-drone, police and military units. The closure follows recent drone disruptions across Europe and rising NATO airspace concerns.
Air traffic at Eindhoven Airport in southern Netherlands was suspended on Saturday evening after multiple drones were spotted in the area, Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said on X.
He noted that defence counter-drone units, along with police and military personnel, were deployed on-site and “ready to intervene” as authorities investigate the source of the drones. The airport, used for both civilian and military operations, halted all types of air traffic as a precaution.
The incident follows a similar one on Friday, when Dutch forces fired on drones detected over the Volkel airbase, nearly 40 kilometres northeast of Eindhoven. Drone disruptions have affected several European airports in recent weeks, including in Denmark and Norway.
Earlier in September, Russian drones were intercepted over Poland and Romania, and three Russian jets entered Estonian airspace, raising concerns within NATO about Moscow’s attempts to test the alliance’s response.
While airports are not required to fully shut down during drone sightings, it is standard practice to halt departures and arrivals to prevent collisions, leading to delays and diversions. Decisions on closures are made by individual airport authorities based on safety assessments.
