Greece: Turkish Drone Intercepted After Incursion Near Alexandroupolis Airport

Yesterday 16:23

An aerial incident involving a Turkish drone prompted the Greek air force to mobilize on Friday in northeastern Greece. The aircraft reportedly penetrated the country's airspace before approaching the airport area of Alexandroupolis, triggering the intervention of F-16 fighters.

According to reports from Greek public television ERTnews and confirmed by a military source, the drone was detected near the airport as a commercial airliner was preparing for takeoff. In light of this situation, particularly sensitive due to the proximity of the runway and civil air traffic, Greek combat aircraft on alert were immediately deployed.

The F-16s quickly reached the area to identify the device and proceed with its interception. This intervention led the drone to exit Greek airspace, its departure being recorded in the vicinity of the island of Samothrace.

However, the incident did not cause major disruptions to air traffic. The affected commercial flight was able to take off normally after using a different runway as a precaution, according to authorities cited by the media.

Ongoing Tensions in Greek Airspace

While the Alexandroupolis episode is not considered a major incident by military authorities, it occurs within a context of heightened surveillance of Greek airspace, particularly in the northeastern part of the country and over the Aegean Sea.

Incursions attributed to Turkish aircraft have seen a sharp increase in recent years. After a lack of recorded violations in 2024, Greek authorities registered 225 incidents in 2025. Since the beginning of 2026 and up until early August, their number is reported to have reached 433.

The proliferation of drones has now become one of the main developments in this situation. These devices, armed or not, are increasingly involved in reported incidents, forcing the Greek air forces to maintain a regular identification and interception system.

This episode thus occurs in a regional environment where the issue of airspace control remains a sensitive topic in the relations between Greece and Turkey, two neighboring countries and NATO members.