Reports emerged after 22:00 that American personnel at the air force base in Miroslavka, located in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, could no longer control the drone. Consequently, local police restricted access to roads between Myroslavets and Valts.
The incident was reported by the RMF FM radio station.
"The unarmed MQ9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle of the US Air Force in Europe, which was performing scheduled quarterly training at the Myroslavets airfield, lost contact with the base. An emergency landing is expected. Services are on standby," the Main Command of the Armed Forces disclosed via X.
Details emerged before midnight that the drone managed to execute an emergency landing after 11:00 p.m.
"The landing took place in accordance with procedures in a safe, uninhabited area. The crash site is secured by the services, the investigation is being conducted by the Military Law and Order Service," the Main Command further elaborated.
The MQ-9 Reaper is an advanced American drone primarily operated by the United States Air Force and the British Royal Air Force. It's powered by a Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop engine, enabling it to fly for 27 hours and cover a range of up to 1,800 kilometers.
This incident is not an isolated case of an American drone mishap in Poland.
Last July, a military reconnaissance drone, also utilized by U.S. forces for training purposes, crashed in the southwest region of the country.
MQ-9A Reaper drones, leased from the U.S. to fulfill an urgent operational requirement, were delivered to Poland early last February to perform reconnaissance missions along the country's eastern border. These leased drones will be utilized by Poland until the nation acquires its own unmanned reconnaissance system.
