An unarmed MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft crashed on Wednesday into the ocean in the vicinity of the runway at Seychelles International Airport on the island of Mahe, announced Air Forces Africa officials. No injuries were reported, they said. Air Force representatives were working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Seychelles to coordinate the removal of debris, they said. The mishap’s cause is unknown and is currently under investigation. The officials said they would release more information as it becomes available. The United States has been operating unarmed Reapers from the Seychelles for several years to counter pirates operating in and around the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. Last December, another Reaper crashed at the same airport.
The Pentagon plans to use U.S. Air Force C-17s and C-130s to deport 5,400 people currently detained by Customs and Border Protection, officials announced Jan. 22, the first act in President Donald Trump’s sweeping promise to crack down on undocumented immigrants and increase border security.