A US unmanned drone is found drifting in Masbate seas by fishermen and was first thought and reported to local authorities as bomb. Local authorities identified it as US-made unmanned target drone with technical description:
- Aerial Target Drone
- BQM-74E Chuckar III
- Part No. 89500-517
- Model No. BQM 74E
- Serial No. BQ 55048
- Contract No. N-19-05-C0040
- Cage No. 77646
- Acceptance Date: April 14, 2008
- Length 12 ft 11 inches
- Wingspan 5 ft 9 inches
- Height 2 ft. 4 inches
US authorities in the Philippines issued statement revealing that the US drone recovered in Masbate is not armed and is not used in surveillance, but is just a target drone used in air defence training.
But people whose minds are not contented on the official statements released by authorities are speculating:
- The recovered unmanned drone was actually doing surveillance activities over Masbate before it crashed into the sea. It has been noted that Philippines has allowed the US Drone to fly over Philippines for scouting purposes, and Masbate area is one of the areas where Maoist rebels operate.
- The US target drone was used in training in other country (not in the Philippines). It then crashed into the sea and was brought by waves and current into the Masbate seas.
