Unknown drone washes ashore on Turkish beach, raises security concerns
An unknown drone was found on beach in Türkiye (photo: iha.com)
An unidentified drone that had been in the water for an extended period was found along Türkiye's coastline, according to the Turkish agency IHA.
The drone was discovered on Çakraz Beach in the Amasra district of Bartin province. Gendarmerie officers determined that it was not carrying any ammunition.
It was removed from the beach and sent to Ankara for examination.
The agency says it is the same aircraft whose fragments were found five days earlier on Kapisuyu Beach in the Kurucaşile district.
What we know about this drone
The exact origin of the aircraft will be determined during the examination in Ankara, although it has been preliminarily identified as Russian.
The drone had remained in the water for a long time. Its body and propellers were made of foam material, while the propellers were wooden and the mounting screws were plastic.
According to preliminary information, the aircraft was capable of carrying ammunition but was likely used as a decoy, launched ahead of strike drones to mislead air defense systems and radar.
Notable that in February 2026, Türkiye's Ministry of Defense confirmed the discovery of a drone that was preliminarily identified as Russian.
Russian drones have also been found repeatedly in Moldova. In January 2026, a Russian Gerbera decoy drone without a warhead was discovered near the village of Nucăreni.
