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An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that washed ashore off the coast of Akcakoca, in Türkiye's northern Duzce province, was taken in for examination after beachgoers reported a suspicious object in the water, the Duzce Governor's Office said.
Residents at Cinar Beach in Akcakoca spotted an object resembling a drone near the shoreline and reported it to security forces, prompting a brief period of panic on the beach.
According to a statement from the Duzce Governor's Office, the Coast Guard's Western Black Sea Operations Center received a report at approximately 4:50 p.m. on Aug. 10 of a suspicious object off Cinar Beach in Akcakoca.
Teams dispatched to the area took necessary security measures, and the object that had fallen into the sea was assessed to be a UAV, according to the statement.
The device was moved to a secure area and brought under control by Underwater Defense Teams (SAS), the Governor's Office said.
SAS is an elite naval specialized unit functioning primarily as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD).
The statement said the necessary examination and assessment of the incident had been completed and that there was no negative situation warranting public concern.
SAS and police teams were dispatched to Cinar Beach following the report, moving beachgoers away from the area and taking precautionary measures around the site.
An investigation was launched to determine where the object that washed ashore had come from.
The drone's specific type and origin are expected to become clear following a technical examination, according to the statement.
Some observers have suggested the drone resembles the Russian-designed Geran-2, itself a variant of the Iranian-designed Shahed-136 loitering munition.
This is not the first incident and appears not to be the last one.
Since late 2025, Turkish authorities have recorded a series of drone discoveries along and near the Black Sea coast, most assessed to be linked to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, with devices found or crashing in provinces including Ordu, Zonguldak, Bartin, Samsun, Artvin, Balikesir and Istanbul.
In several of these cases, examined drones were assessed to be of Russian origin, including Geran-2 models based on Iran's Shahed-136 design, while others were identified as Ukrainian-type or unidentified systems.
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