U.S. Reaper drone crashes into sea between Korea and China, cause unknown

A U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone stationed in Korea crashed into the Yellow Sea early in the morning of November 24 for reasons yet unknown, according to the U.S. military.

The MQ-9, operated by the 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron out of Kunsan Air Base, “was involved in an incident” while conducting a routine mission and crashed into waters off Maldo-ri Island near Okdo-myeon in Gunsan, North Jeolla, at approximately 4:35 a.m., according to the 8th Fighter Wing under the U.S. 7th Air Force.

A spokesperson for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said there were no injuries or damage to public property, and that an investigation is underway.

According to military sources, the drone reportedly experienced technical issues and became uncontrollable during a reconnaissance mission. The U.S. military may have deliberately brought it down over the sea to prevent further incidents during its return to base, onlookers say.

The crash comes just two months after USFK officially confirmed the permanent deployment of Reapers to the Korean Peninsula in September. Each MQ-9 Reaper is estimated by the U.S. Congressional Research Service to cost between $300 million and $330 million.

The Reaper’s presence was seen as a significant enhancement to Korea-U.S. surveillance capabilities. Though primarily used for reconnaissance, the Reaper is also an armed platform capable of carrying Hellfire anti-tank missiles.

The Reapers deployed to Gunsan were expected not only to monitor North Korea but also to gather intelligence related to China. Analysts viewed this as a sign that the Reaper’s mission would extend beyond the peninsula and play a role in countering China.

“MQ-9 operations will support U.S.-Korean priorities in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance across the Indo-Pacific theater, enhancing the joint capability to respond to threats and emerging situations while strengthening our alliance,” the 8th Fighter Wing said in a press release in September, emphasizing “the dedication of the United States to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.”

BY LEE YU-JUNG [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]