Gardaí investigating alleged drone sighting off east coast

The alleged sighting took place during the same window when flights between Ireland and the UK were disrupted. File photo. Picture: Larry Cummins

Gardaí are investigating an alleged sighting of an unconfirmed object off the east coast of the Irish Sea that appeared on Tuesday evening.

The incident comes days before a high-profile visit of US President Donald Trump, which is expected to utilise multiple arms of the State in providing security operations.

A pilot flying a commercial aircraft claimed to have spotted a large drone off the coast of Co Wicklow at around 5pm on Tuesday evening. 

Other airborne pilots were alerted to the alleged drone’s presence. 

“An Garda Síochána continue to investigate the reports in conjunction with the relevant authorities,” a garda spokesperson said when asked about reports of the drone sighting.

In December, a host of unidentified drones were spotted flying over the coast of Howth during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Ireland.

Drones can often be deployed by foreign states seeking to gather aerial reconnaissance and intelligence on rival powers’ infrastructure and military sites.

Ireland has come under fire during the EU Presidency for perceived shortfalls in its defensive capability- a recent defence meeting in Druid’s Glen, Co Wicklow, was secured by a Royal Navy ship outside of Ireland’s territorial waters.