Drone full of explosives found in water near popular Greek holiday island

©Max Payload via Unsplash

Last Thursday, a fisherman suddenly found an attack drone loaded with explosives in the water off the Greek holiday island of Lefkas. For now, how the kamikaze drone ended up in the Ionian Sea remains a mystery.

The drone was estimated to be carrying some 100 kilograms of explosives. The device had washed up in a sea cave off the coast of Lefkas. It appears to be a long-range drone. The approximate 100 kilograms of explosives it was carrying were detonated in a controlled manner.

Originating from Ukraine?

Greece is investigating the disturbing find. One of the plausible reasons the drone was found there is that the drone deviated from Ukraine. After all, it is possible that the pilot lost control of the aircraft. Although Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias already stated that the drone "almost certainly" came from "a foreign state," he did not mention Ukraine by name. Greek authorities also would not yet officially confirm whether the drone was carrying ammunition.

In local media, experts suggested that it was a Ukraine-made Magura V3 naval drone. According to the most common theory, Russian oil and gas transport ships in the Mediterranean Sea were the drone's possible target. Indeed, Kiev has previously admitted to targeting tankers bypassing sanctions within Russia's shadow fleet. Indeed, this month, Ukrainian drones already sank two ships in the Black Sea. Was this drone deliberately taken over or did the driver accidentally lose control?

For now, we await the outcome of the investigation in order to get a definitive answer as to the exact origin of the drone.

©Max Payload via Unsplash - illustration image from Lefkas