ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Authorities launched an investigation Friday into a drone that crashed in northwest Turkey, days after the country shot down another drone that entered its airspace from the Black Sea.
Residents in Kocaeli province discovered the damaged drone in a field, prompting a formal investigation into the wreckage, according to NTV news channel and other reports.
Initial assessments indicate the aircraft may have been a Russian-made Orlan-10 surveillance drone, the interior ministry said in a statement, adding that an investigation was ongoing.
On Monday, Turkish F-16 fighter jets intercepted a drone that violated Turkish airspace, which officials described as “out of control.”
The Defense Ministry said the drone was destroyed at a secure location to protect civilians and air traffic. The Turkish government subsequently warned Russia and Ukraine to be more cautious on Black Sea security issues.
The shootdown followed a series of attacks by Ukraine on Russian “Shadow Fleet” oil tankers off the Turkish coast, raising concerns in Turkey about the risk of Ukraine’s war spreading into the region.
The Defense Department said the drone downed on Monday likely broke into small pieces and scattered over a large area, complicating identification efforts. Search and technical analysis work is still ongoing, the statement said.
