Lefkada, Greece. Greek investigators believe an explosives-laden military sea drone found on the island of Lefkada last week went off course due to a technical failure and may not have travelled far, sources said on Friday.
Discovery and initial assessment
The drone was discovered by fishermen on the shores of Lefkada on May 7. Greece has said the drone is Ukrainian, a claim Kyiv has officially denied, and the find has triggered diplomatic tensions between Athens and Kyiv.
Technical and intelligence analysis
Greek intelligence and military units have been analysing the drone, dismantling it and using reverse engineering to determine its characteristics. Investigators are examining its metadata to establish its mission and whether it was launched from a mother ship or from shore, potentially as far away as Libya across the Mediterranean.
A security source said the drone likely failed to reach its target after losing orientation due to a technical malfunction.
Safety concerns and official comments
“This issue is very serious. This vessel … had explosives, endangering the safety of navigation. I don’t want to think what it would mean for a passenger ship or any ship to collide with that drone,” Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said on Thursday, insisting that the drone is Ukrainian.
Possible launch point and remaining work
Preliminary findings suggest the drone did not travel a long distance, making a launch from Libya less likely, a security source said. Another official said fuel levels are a key factor in the assessment but declined to give further details.
The technical analysis is nearly complete, with only some encrypted data yet to be decoded, the source added.
Broader context and EU notification
Over the past year, Ukraine has targeted tankers in the Black Sea and beyond, including in the Mediterranean, that it says are part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” vessels that Kyiv says are helping Moscow to escape sanctions and export oil to fund its war effort in Ukraine.
Greece has alerted the European Union to the matter.
What steps do you think should be taken to improve maritime safety when unexploded drones are found near shipping routes?