European Union foreign ministers at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels have voiced concern following the reported discovery of a drone boat near the Greek island of Lefkada.
Greek authorities have continued investigating how the explosive-packed drone, suspected to be of Ukranian origin, ended up in the waters. Bomb disposal experts denoated the unmanned device at sea, while the inquiry has since involved specialised military teams examining the drone’s serial number and inbuilt GPS for clues about its origin.
Ahead of the council meeting, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said that Greek authorities were still examining the incident and that they intended to issue an official diplomatic demarche once the investigation is completed.
“Greece will take all necessary steps to ensure that the Mediterranean does not become a theatre of military operations,” he said, adding that incidents of this kind threaten maritime navigation, civilian security and the marine environment.
Greek defence minister Nikos Dendias said the drone almost certainly came from “a foreign state,” although no country was identified.
“We know what it is, and we more or less know what it contains,” Dendias said. He also emphasised that Greece possesses the military capabilities needed to defend itself. “We have nothing to envy, we are creating the possibilities so that our homeland can equip its combat navy with the most developed drones and anti-drone systems that currently exist.”
The drone’s operators reportedly lost control of the device, causing it to drift off course before it was discovered by a fisherman in a cave. The drone was believed to be carrying an estimated 100kg of explosives, although Greek defence ministry officials refused to confirm whether it was loaded with munitions.
Pasok defence spokesperson Michalis Katrinis accused Athens’ centre-right government of being unprepared to address the threat posed by such weaponry, saying: “Mr Dendias has told us he ‘knows’ [all about the drone] but the Greek people are not allowed to learn anything about its origins, the purposes it served and how it was found, moving unhindered, around Lefkada.”
Source: The Guardian, Kathimerini
