Around 300 people took part in a disaster drill held was organised on Saturday by Brussels Airport in collaboration with external emergency services at the airport.
The exercise, which the company carries out every two years, involved staff from the fire, medical emergency, and defence services, as well as the federal police, relevant local authorities, along with the province of Flemish Brabant and its emergency planning department.
The drill simulated the crash of a KetAir plane due to malfunctioning of its landing gear. In the simulated scenario, some passengers and crew members were killed, while others were injured in the accident, which led to the activation of the provincial emergency plan.
The functioning of internal and external procedures was tested to ensure their effectiveness, while a new, special emergency and intervention plan was also put to test, which includes exercises such as Saturday’s drill.
Some 300 people participated in the drill, which lasted over six hours. The company reported that the exercise went well and that it had no impact on the airport’s operational activities.
The operation was compliant with the security requirements of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which all European international airports need to satisfy. The completion of the drill should lead to the renewal of the airport’s certification.
