US says drone recovery difficult as Russian ships at crash site

Russian ships during navy drills in the Black Sea in 2021. US officials have reported that Russian vessels have reached the location where a US surveillance drone crashed on Tuesday [File: Russian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP]

Recovery of a US surveillance drone that crashed after being intercepted by Russian fighter jets would be challenging given the deep waters in the Black Sea, a senior United States general said, as reports emerged of Russian vessels at the crash site.

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said remains of the uncrewed MQ-9 Reaper drone, which the US claims was brought down by one of two Russian Su-27 jets clipping the drone’s propeller, sank in waters as deep as 1,219 to 1,524 meters (4,000 to 5,000 feet).