US Navy confirms MQ-4C drone crash in Persian Gulf

The U.S. Naval Safety Command has confirmed the crash of an MQ-4C Triton high-altitude surveillance drone into the Persian Gulf on April 9, 2026. The aircraft, with tail number 169804, suffered a sudden loss of control and sent a distress signal before going down, but no personnel were injured in the incident. The cause of the crash remains unspecified, with possibilities including technical malfunction or being shot down by Iran, though no wreckage has been publicly reported to suggest it fell on Iranian territory. As of 2025, the Navy had 20 such drones in service and planned to acquire 7 more, with each MQ-4C costing at least $200 million.