Brussels Airport pilots targeted by lasers five times in one night

Pilots approaching Brussels Airport were targeted by laser beams five times during a single night between Friday evening and early Saturday morning. Air traffic controller Skeyes confirmed the incidents occurred near Dilbeek, with the beams striking pilots in the face between 20:45 and 02:45.

While laser interference is not unprecedented—Skeyes reported 169 such cases last year—the frequency of five incidents in one night is considered unusual. Local police dispatched patrols to the area, but Commissioner Koen Luppens stated that the lack of a precise origin point made it difficult to trace or locate the perpetrators.

The attacks coincide with heightened local tensions in Dilbeek regarding a newly implemented flight route. Residents have expressed frustration over increased noise pollution, leading 42 households to take legal action against the Belgian government. Although the timing is notable, police have stated there is currently no concrete evidence linking the laser attacks to the flight route disputes.