An unknown naval drone was found off the coast of Turkey

A naval drone of an unknown type washed up on the coast of Turkey from the Black Sea.

It happened on Thursday, July 25, near Çatalca in the province of Istanbul.

The governor’s office reported on this, and a video of the drone was published in local media.

Local authorities said the drone had been spotted on the coast around 12:00 local time.

Coastguard and law enforcement teams immediately arrived at the scene.

“A naval drone 3 meters long and 1 meter wide, believed to have come from the north of the Black Sea, was taken under guard by representatives of the S.A.S. (Su Altı Savunma – Turkish Underwater Defense – ed.) who arrived at the scene,” the statement said.

However, despite official statements, online video shows that local residents had access to the naval drone, at least until law enforcement arrived.

Subsequently, the scene of the incident was surrounded and fenced off, restricting access to unauthorized persons.

The footage shows that this unmanned surface vehicle was created on the basis of a jet ski. It also had cameras and other special equipment for remote control. The exact specifications of the drone are unknown.

According to the Milliyet media outlet, explosives were allegedly found on board.

However, local authorities have not yet officially confirmed the presence of explosives on the drone or the possibility of its combat use.

Turkey suggests that the drone may have belonged to the Ukrainian military. It could have drifted from the northern part of the Black Sea. After the discovery of the jet ski-based unmanned vehicle, the local prosecutor’s office launched an investigation.