MQ9B lost due to tech failure in Bay of Bengal; $4 bn US deal in final stages

New Delhi: A high-value surveillance drone on lease by the Indian Navy from the US was lost to a technical failure on Wednesday, with officials saying that it had to carry out a " controlled ditching". The MQ9B drone was one of the two taken on lease for long endurance surveillance and was being operated by representatives of its manufacturer, General Atomics. The incident has taken place when India and the US are in the final stages of acquiring 31 drones for an estimated $4 billion, with commercial negotiations currently underway.

Sources said efforts will be made to recover the drone from its last reported location. The Navy may not have to bear the costs for the loss as it had been taken on lease and was being operated with the manufacturer.

"High Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft leased by the Indian Navy operating from INS Rajali, Arakonnam (near Chennai) encountered a technical failure at about 1400 hrs whilst on a routine surveillance mission which could not be reset in flight," officials said.

They said the aircraft was navigated to a safe area over sea and carried out a controlled ditching off Chennai. A detailed report has been sought from General Atomics regarding the accident.