On Monday at approximately 4:35 AM, an MQ-9 Reaper drone operated by the U.S. Air Force’s 7th Air Force crashed off the coast of Maldo Island in Okdo-myeon, Gunsan, due to unknown causes.
Later that day, the 7th Air Force issued a statement saying there was no reported damage to public property or injuries, and that an investigation was underway.
While the U.S. military did not explicitly confirm the Reaper’s crash, sources indicate that the drone experienced a loss of control during its mission, prompting U.S. forces to bring it down intentionally.
This marks the first incident involving a Reaper since its permanent deployment to the Korean Peninsula just over two months ago. On September 29, the 7th Air Force activated the 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Gunsan Air Base. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Douglas J. Slater, this unit’s establishment has drawn significant attention as it represents a permanent deployment of advanced U.S. military assets to the peninsula.
The MQ-9 Reaper, often called the Sky Assassin, is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle designed for time-sensitive strike missions and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations. Reapers have been sent to Korea before on a rotational basis during North Korean provocations and joint U.S.-ROK exercises, but this marks the first time they have been permanently stationed on the peninsula.