A US Navy MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone, valued at around Rs 1,800 crore, has gone missing after completing a monitoring mission over the Strait of Hormuz near Iran.
According to reports, the drone flew for more than three hours over the strategic waterway and then headed back to the Sigonella Naval Air Station in Italy.
During the return leg, the aircraft transmitted the emergency signal code “7700” and began descending. Shortly after issuing the alert, it disappeared.
The US Air Force said the drone remained on radar until just before it went missing. It is not yet clear whether the drone crashed or was shot down, and US forces are conducting an intensive investigation.
