The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee announced on Thursday that its gendarmes had arrested a man from Apeldoorn municipality in the center of the country, on suspicion of shooting at a Royal Netherlands Air Force AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
A Marechaussee spokesperson told Dutch public broadcaster
NOS that the Apache pilot had reported that he had been shot at while in flight late Thursday morning. The helicopter was able to safely land at Gilze-Rijen Air Base after the incident, with the suspect arrested following Marechaussee consultation with the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service.
Marechausee spokesperson Robert von Kapel told the
Algemeen Dagbladnewspaper that the suspect had been arrested in the evening at his home. The suspect is believed to have fired at the Apache from his home, and is now undergoing questioning. According to von Kapel, the suspect has been charged with “endangering an aircraft” and “destruction”. No motive is known as of writing.
Regional public broadcaster
Omroep Gelderland identified the suspect as living in the village of Uddel, in the east of Apeldoorn municipality. Uddel is located in an area regularly used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force to practice low-altitude flight and coordination with Dutch ground troops, one of several such low-flying areas throughout the Netherlands.
The Marechausee is currently investigating what weapon was used to fire on the Apache, and what damage was caused to the attack helicopter. Dutch defense minister Kajsa Ollongren has since said that both Apache crew members are unharmed, adding that it was “
very worrying” that the pilots had been fired on in their own country.