Unknown drones flew over Borssele nuclear plant no-fly zone, American-flagged ship
A swarm of unknown drones flew near the EPZ nuclear power plant in Borssele and over an American-flagged container ship on the Westerschelde in November 2025, according to documents and app messages obtained by AD under the Open Government Act.
A swarm that the Coast Guard reported along the Zeeland coast on Nov. 12 also entered the area of the Borssele plant. A message from the Departementaal Coördinatiecentrum Crisisbeheersing, part of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, stated, "The cluster was also spotted at the EPZ nuclear power plant and possibly flew through the no-fly zone around the plant. The flight altitude was approximately 500 meters, and the direction was ultimately back to sea.”
On Nov. 9, a pilot aboard the Maersk Montana, a U.S.-flagged container ship sailing the Westerschelde toward Antwerp, reported three drones flying over the vessel. The drones later flew away.
Both incidents were reported to the minister, the state secretary, and the ministry’s senior officials.
In November 2025, authorities in the Netherlands and other European countries recorded multiple reports of drones over airports, military sites, ports, and chemical facilities.
An EPZ spokesperson confirmed drones were observed over the Westerschelde in November: “They were located both inside and outside the no-fly zone designated by the government for EPZ. For security reasons, I cannot provide further information about the security of our plant. However, I can emphasize that the observed drones posed no risk to the safe operation of our plant.”
Documents also detail a swarm of 14 drones over the Dow chemical plants in Terneuzen on Nov. 17, according to a message to the Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport.
The site that obtained the records has been investigating unknown drone reports over the Netherlands since early 2026. Police and the marechaussee have declined to provide data.
Earlier findings from the same investigation showed unknown drones were also reported that November over Kasteel Drakensteyn, the home of Princess Beatrix, and a complex of De Nederlandsche Bank.
British researchers have linked many European drone flights to Russia, saying the aircraft were launched from ships in the North Sea. Other drone experts have rejected that assessment, saying it remains unclear whether the reported objects were actually drones.
