Debris from Israeli reconnaissance drone found in Turkey

Reports in Turkey say that debris from the wreck of an Israeli Air Force reconnaissance drone has been found in the Turkish town of Karatas. An inquiry has been opened by the Turkish government.

According to Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak on Saturday, a Turkish fisherman found parts of an Israeli Heron drone and he informed the authorities. A team of specialists from the Turkish Coast Guard found the crashed drone underwater and transferred the debris to the headquarters of the General Staff in Mersin. The incident comes at a time of ongoing tension between Turkey and Israel that have led to a cut in military cooperation and the downgrading of diplomatic representation between the two countries.

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The incident raised questions about whether Israel is spying on Turkey and if it is cooperating with the secessionist PKK (Kurdistan’s Workers Party) in this. The newspaper mentioned that a terrorist attack on the naval airbase at Iskenderun, which resulted in the death of seven soldiers, took place on the same night that the Freedom Flotilla’s Mavi Marmara sailed towards Gaza in May 2010.

Yeni Safak asked if the recent rise in terrorist attacks could be attributed to Israeli-PKK cooperation, especially at a time when Israel may be seeking revenge against Turkey.