Multiple drones flying over the largest gas site in the Netherlands
Several drones were spotted over the largest gas site in the Netherlands at the end of last year. It now appears that several people in Ommen called 112. The incident was kept quiet. And that has led to outrage. "This is a serious location."
It is the evening of Friday, November 21, 2025. Several Ommen residents call 112. Their reports of three drones over Vilsteren prompt the police and the IJsselland Safety Region to take action.
In vain. The flying objects disappear in the darkness of the autumn night.
Drones are spotted at several strategic locations in the Netherlands and Belgium during the same period. Airports in Eindhoven, Liège, Charleroi, and Volkel are being plagued by the devices.
It's causing outrage and sparking discussions in the National Security Council.
Alarm bells are also ringing in Ommen, confirms Mayor Hans Vroomen. He will be informed later that evening. He is the portfolio holder for public order and safety. But in the interest of maintaining the peace of Ommen, he's keeping quiet.
Largest in the Netherlands
Gasunie is a vulnerable location in the municipality. The distribution station in Vilsteren, along with Ravenstein, is the largest gas facility in the Netherlands. Almost all of the country's gas passes through this pipeline junction.
"An important location for our country. If a bomb falls there, I don't think my house in Ommen will still be standing," LPO parliamentary group leader Ron de Wit emphasizes the seriousness of the incident.
He's not alone. "If this whole thing explodes here, the windows will be blown out all the way to Utrecht," says neighbor Joke van de Crommert. The owner of cheese farm De Heileuver remains level-headed despite the visits from flying objects. "I don't panic easily."
A little further on, a farmer is less reassured. He wishes to remain anonymous. "I find it strange that we haven't heard anything from the authorities."
Especially in the fall, news programs frequently report on unknown drone visits, says the farmer. "As a citizen, I have the right to know that strange drones have been flying around my house. Yes, this does frighten me. This is a serious location."
In 1972, the Gasunie plant in Vilsteren was already the target of a (failed) bomb attack. Spokesperson Michiel Bal declines to comment on whether it is a frequent target of drones.
He also declines to comment on tightened measures around this Ommen location. "We are cautious about our security."
Politics raises the alarm
The People's Party Ommen Vooruit (VOV) raised the alarm with Mayor Vroomen shortly before Christmas. In a public council meeting, he has to explain why the drones remained hidden from the public. He argues about safety. And the police's responsibility.
That's too easy for politicians. "If we hadn't asked questions, everything would still be secret," says VOV party leader Bas van der Velde.
"It's about the safety of your residents. If there's a threat, it shouldn't be swept under the rug."
And politicians have a right to openness. "A mayor can also tell us things in confidence," says CDA politician Erik Veurink. "Ultimately, he makes the decision. But all things considered, we should definitely have been informed."
Van der Velde and De Wit emphasize this. "As politicians in Ommen, we talk a lot about transparency," says the LPO member. "The newspapers are full of locations where drones have been spotted, but Ommen decides not to release anything. It's a shame."
Van der Velde (VOV): "As a council, we are the highest authority in Ommen. An extension of society. Therefore, I find it incomprehensible that information is being withheld."
Political balancing act
Vroomen acknowledges the crucial role of the heavily secured Gasunie site. With a separate disaster response plan.
"This is a police matter," says Vroomen's spokesperson. "It's not customary for a mayor to also inform the council."
The impossible balancing act between transparency and safety, says council faction leader Roosmarijn Wernars (D66). "I'm also in favor of openness. But in this case, the mayor and the police decided not to stoke fear. They wanted to keep the situation manageable."
Professionals or hobbyists? Even two months after the incident, the police still have no idea who is behind the drone visits, says spokesperson Suzan Scholten. She denies that the police deliberately concealed the drone issue. "The police do not send out a report for every incident."
