Large-scale emergency drill at Ostend-Bruges Airport

On Tuesday afternoon, November 5, a major emergency drill took place at Ostend-Bruges Airport in Belgium, bringing together over 100 staff members and emergency responders to test the emergency plans of both the airport and the city of Ostend. The simulation involved a serious accident scenario in which a bus carrying crew members collided with a fuel tanker, resulting in multiple casualties, a fire, and heavy smoke.

Scenario Details

In the exercise, a bus with eight passengers collided with a mobile fuel tanker filled with aviation fuel on the airside of the airport. Tragically, the tanker driver and two bus passengers were killed, while four others were trapped in the bus. The collision sparked a fire around the tanker, posing a significant risk to a nearby large fuel tank on the premises. Smoke from the incident could be seen up to 10 kilometres away, and a fuel leak created a serious environmental threat. The airport employed a bus, a tanker, and a smoke simulator to make the drill as realistic as possible.

Coordination and Collaboration

To manage the simulated crisis, a multidisciplinary coordination team was set up on-site. Emergency services collaborated closely to evacuate the injured, combat the fire, and assist those who were unharmed, while also keeping local residents, airport staff, and travellers informed. This large-scale collaboration involved fire services, police, medical teams, airport staff, the 112 and 101 emergency centres, the city of Ostend’s staff, and Civil Protection.

The city of Ostend declared a municipal emergency phase, with the mayor leading a crisis team composed of all involved services, focusing on potential domino effects and the broader impact of the incident. The drill ran smoothly, demonstrating that the established procedures function well in practice.

Safety First

Bruno De Saegher, CEO of Ostend-Bruges Airport, emphasised the importance of safety: “Safety always comes first in our airport operations. This simulation, an initiative of the airport, allows us to test our emergency plans under realistic conditions and improve them if needed. While we hope such a scenario never occurs, we are pleased with the dedication and performance shown today.”

The drill was organised at the airport’s request, in partnership with various stakeholders and the provincial governor’s emergency planning department. Governor Decaluwé stated, “Exercises like these are crucial. They allow us to learn valuable lessons, build strong networks, and strengthen our collaboration. By working together and practising, we can apply the insights we gain to continuously improve our plans and procedures. I thank all participants for their commitment during the drill.”