Close
newsletters Newsletters
X Instagram Youtube

Stray drone crashes into police station in Türkiye’s Black Sea city of Trabzon

Police and emergency teams gather outside the Arsin District Police Department after an object initially assessed as an unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the station's yard in Trabzon, Türkiye, Aug. 18, 2026. (AA Photo)
August 19, 2026 08:47 AM GMT+03:00

An object initially estimated to be a stray drone crashed into the yard of a police station in Türkiye's Black Sea province of Trabzon on Tuesday, local authorities reported.

The incident, which occurred in the Arsin district at around 7:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. GMT), caused no injuries, but damaged four vehicles and broke windows at the police building and nearby businesses. Authorities secured the scene and launched an investigation.

More UAVs turn up along Türkiye’s coast

Trabzon Governor Tahir Sahin visited the site and inspected the area following the crash. He said crime scene teams were examining the wreckage as part of an extensive investigation. "Information will be provided after the investigation into the origin of the aircraft is completed," Sahin said.

The incident comes amid repeated drone-related incidents along Türkiye's Black Sea coast in recent weeks.

Last week, authorities found the fuselage of a Russian-made Gerbera-type UAV that had washed ashore in the northwestern province of Sakarya. Security teams examined the wreckage and found no explosives.

Earlier that week, a Russian-made UAV was also found in the sea off the northwestern province of Duzce. Authorities recovered the aircraft and took it away for further examination.

Police officers inspect a damaged vehicle at the scene after an object initially assessed as an unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the yard of a police station in Trabzon, Türkiye, Aug. 18, 2026. (AA Photo)
Police officers inspect a damaged vehicle at the scene after an object initially assessed as an unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the yard of a police station in Trabzon, Türkiye, Aug. 18, 2026. (AA Photo)

Türkiye alarmed over rising Black Sea tensions

Drone activity has increased across the wider Black Sea region as both Russia and Ukraine have stepped up their use of unmanned aircraft in attacks on military, energy and transport infrastructure, as well as commercial shipping.

Nearby NATO members have also faced drone incursions linked to the wider war. Last week, a drone entered Romanian airspace and was shot down by a Spanish NATO fighter. The alliance said the aircraft appeared to be Russian.

For Türkiye, which controls the Bosphorus and sits along the Black Sea's southern coast, the increased military activity has raised concerns over civilian shipping, coastal security and the possibility of further spillover from the war.

Earlier this month, Türkiye's Foreign Ministry warned that the Russia-Ukraine war was increasingly spreading into the Black Sea and affecting civilian vessels, expressing "serious concern" over rising tensions and calling for measures to protect navigation.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan later proposed a moratorium on attacks against critical targets in the Black Sea, saying such an arrangement could help protect maritime security and prevent further escalation.

Russia rejected the idea of a broader Black Sea ceasefire, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying Moscow had not received a formal proposal from Türkiye and warning against "half-measures" that could give Ukraine relief without resolving the wider conflict.

August 19, 2026 08:55 AM GMT+03:00
More From Türkiye Today