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US Navy Triton Drone Disappears Over Persian Gulf After Emergency Descent
Flight data showed the drone dropped from about 52,000 feet to below 10,000 feet before disappearing, with the cause still unconfirmed.
- On Friday, April 10, 2026, a US Navy MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone disappeared over the Strait of Hormuz while returning to Naval Air Station Sigonella in Italy after a three-hour operation over the Persian Gulf.
- Flight tracking data showed the drone abruptly turning toward Iran while emitting a 7700 emergency squawk, then rapidly descending from around 50,000 feet to below 10,000 feet before vanishing from ADS-B monitoring systems.
- Valued at over $200 million, the high-altitude MQ-4C Triton, serial 169804, is built by Northrop Grumann and designed for long-endurance maritime intelligence missions across the Gulf region.
- UK Defence Journal senior editor Jon first highlighted the incident using open-source tracking tools, though at the time of writing, no official confirmation regarding the drone's status had been provided by US military officials.
- The Strait of Hormuz has become a contested zone since the war in West Asia began on February 28, with Iran effectively blocking shipping passage, placing the drone's disappearance within escalating regional tensions.
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25 Articles
25 Articles
US Navy drone monitoring Hormuz Strait ‘vanishes’ after 40,000-foot plummet in Persian Gulf: Report
A US Navy MQ-4C Triton drone reportedly issued a 7700 emergency squawk before going down near the Strait of Hormuz, raising fresh concerns over aerial surveillance risks in the volatile Gulf region.
·Uttar Pradesh, India
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources25
Leaning Left0Leaning Right7Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution64% Right
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources lean Right
64% Right
C 36%
R 64%
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