An Israeli Air Force (IAF) Hermes 450 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) crashed at sea off the coast of Ashkelon on Tuesday. The wreckage was picked up by the Israeli Navy shortly after the crash. The cause of the accident is unknown but early assessments point to engine failure.
The crash occurred shortly after the Elbit systems Hermes-450 took off from the IAF’s Palmachim airbase on a routine mission. These UAS are operating over the Gaza strip in a variety of missions.
The IAF has opened an investigation to try and understand what caused the crash.
Source: IHLS – Israel Homeland Security