US drone crashes off Masbate waters

They first thought it was a bomb then later figured out it was a US unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that crashed into the sea off Masbate on Sunday, January 6. Local fishermen were the first to recover the UAV, thinking it was a bomb but police later confirmed it was instead a drone. Senior Supt Heriberto Olitoquit, provincial police director, said the drone hit the waters of Masbate Sunday morning and will be turned over to the Philippine Navy. Naval officer Rommel Galang said, “We will first study this drone but initially it appears to be a UAV used largely in reconnaissance.” The US embassy had been informed about the discovery and local offiicals would eventually turn over the drone to them. The Philippine military has been trained by the US on how to use the drones against Muslim rebels in Mindanao. But Masbate is far from the Muslim-insurgency areas and is instead an area where communists are still active.


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