Ten years after the bomb attacks at Brussels Airport, a commemorative sculpture called Flight in Mind has been relocated to gain more visibility. At the request of victims’ families, the bronze statue now sits along the access road at the airport.
On 22 March 2026 at 7:58 am, exactly ten years after the first explosion at Brussels Airport, a minute of silence was observed at the airport. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Brussels Airport CEO Arnaud Feist, emergency responders, and victims’ families were present during the commemorative ceremony.
“For those who have lost a loved one, or whose body or mind still bears the scars of that fateful day, 22 March is a day that never ends,” King Philippe stated in a speech.
A new plaque was unveiled in the airport, listing the names of the 19 victims who lost their lives on 22 March 2016, and a choir composed of 54 people who were affected by the attacks was present during the ceremony.
“It would be a lie if I said this life is easy. I wake up every day with memories of the horror. My body is burned, bruised and mutilated. I wonder if this constant, invisible pain is worth it. But then I remember the moment I was lying on this floor, bleeding. I said then: ‘I’m not going to die here’,” said Béatrice de Lavalette, who was 17 years old at the time of the attacks and lost both legs on 22 March 2016.
Flight in Mind
Ahead of the commemoration and at the request of the victims’ families, the Flight in Mind sculpture was moved to sit along the access road to the airport. The bronze sculpture by artist Olivier Strebelle has a symbolic value for those affected by the attacks, as it was standing near the explosion in the departure hall and thus shielded many of those present.
Although it was severely damaged due to the explosion, the statue was then restored and turned into a commemorative sculpture honouring the victims of the attacks. It was initially placed in the airport’s Memorial Garden in 2017, close to the roundabout underneath the viaduct of the A201, meaning only people arriving at the airport via that roundabout would see it.
Now, the sculpture has been moved to a new location, closer to the airport, from where it should be more visible to both passersby and families of the victims.
