Ten years on: Belgium remembers the victims of the 22 March 2016 attacks

On 22 March 2026, Belgium marks exactly ten years since the devastating terrorist attacks that struck Brussels Airport and the Maalbeek metro station — a day that forever changed the country and its aviation sector.

On the morning of 22 March 2016, two suicide bombers detonated explosives in the departure hall of Brussels Airport in Zaventem, followed shortly after by a third explosion on a metro train leaving Maalbeek station in Brussels’ European Quarter.

The attacks claimed the lives of 32 victims and injured 324 people, making it the deadliest peacetime attack in Belgian history.

At the airport, the explosions occurred near check-in rows in the departure hall, where passengers were preparing for flights. A third device was later discovered and neutralised by security services.

Impact on aviation

The attack on Brussels Airport had an immediate and profound impact on aviation operations. The airport was closed for days, with flights diverted across Europe, and recovery took months as temporary infrastructure replaced the heavily damaged departure hall.

A decade of remembrance

Each year, Belgium pauses to remember the victims. Commemorations at Brussels Airport traditionally take place near the memorial garden, where Oliveir Strebelle’s sculpture “Flight in Mind” stands as a symbol of resilience and remembrance.

Moments of silence, the reading of victims’ names, and ceremonies attended by officials, first responders and families have become an integral part of this annual tribute.

Ten years on, that remembrance carries even greater weight.

Justice and aftermath

In the years following the attacks, Belgium conducted its largest-ever terror trial. Several perpetrators were convicted and received sentences ranging from long-term imprisonment to life sentences.

However, for many victims and families, the impact continues. Legal procedures, compensation cases and long-term physical and psychological consequences remain part of daily life for survivors.

A lasting scar — and a symbol of resilience

The attacks of 22 March 2016 left a permanent mark on Belgium, its people, and its aviation industry.

Yet, they also revealed a strong sense of unity and resilience. From first responders and airport staff to ordinary citizens, the response in the aftermath showed a country determined to stand together.

Ten years later, Belgium remembers — not only the tragedy, but also the solidarity that followed.