US Navy MQ-4C drone crashes 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 altitude loss and crashed into the water. The MQ-4C is a $238 million reconnaissance platform, with the US Navy reportedly operating only about 20 of these advanced drones. The incident occurred amid ongoing tensions in the region, though no hostile action has been indicated as the cause.