Greece intercepts Turkish drone near Alexandroupolis airport

airspace violation Turkish drone F-16 interception Aegean Sea Alexandroupolis

A Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) illegally entered Greek airspace near Alexandroupolis, prompting an immediate response from the Greek Air Force. The drone was spotted flying over the maritime area between Samothraki and Lemnos before approaching the terminal runway of Alexandroupolis airport.

The incident occurred as an Aegean Airlines passenger plane was preparing for takeoff. To ensure safety, the aircraft was instructed to follow an alternative flight path at a low altitude until the area was clear. Greek F-16 fighter jets were scrambled and successfully intercepted the drone, forcing it to exit Greek airspace in the Samothraki region.

Greek military sources described the event as a routine interception, noting that such incidents occur regularly in the Aegean. However, data from the Greek Ministry of Defense highlights a significant increase in airspace violations by Turkish aircraft, rising from zero cases in 2024 to 433 recorded violations through the first seven months of 2026.

Entities

Aegean Airlines · Alexandroupoli · Alexandroupolis · Alexandroupolis Airport · ERT · Greece · Greek Air Force · Turkey

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[DISPUTED] There were 433 recorded airspace violations by Turkey through early August 2025. www.egnews.it · www.forchecaudine.com · www.quotidianodelsud.it
[● 10 SOURCES] A Turkish drone illegally entered Greek airspace near Alexandroupoli. www.egnews.it · www.forchecaudine.com · www.quotidianodelsud.it · www.economica.net · www.redazionenews.it · +5 more
[● 6 SOURCES] The drone moved near the runway during a commercial flight's takeoff preparation. www.egnews.it · www.forchecaudine.com · www.quotidianodelsud.it · www.economica.net · www.redazionenews.it · +1 more
[● 6 SOURCES] Turkish airspace violations of Greece have increased significantly since 2024. www.egnews.it · www.forchecaudine.com · www.quotidianodelsud.it · www.economica.net · www.redazionenews.it · +1 more
[● 6 SOURCES] Greek F-16 fighter jets intercepted the drone and forced it out of Greek airspace. www.egnews.it · www.forchecaudine.com · www.quotidianodelsud.it · www.economica.net · www.redazionenews.it · +1 more
[● 10 SOURCES] Greek F-16 fighter jets were scrambled and intercepted the drone. www.economica.net · www.standartnews.com · www.realitatea.net · fjala.al · www.egnews.it · +5 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Greek Ministry of Defense data shows airspace violations by Turkish aircraft have become frequent in 2026. www.economica.net · www.realitatea.net · www.egnews.it · www.forchecaudine.com · www.quotidianodelsud.it · +3 more
[● 7 SOURCES] A Greek military source stated the incident was not a grave one, noting such interceptions occur regularly. www.economica.net · www.realitatea.net · www.egnews.it · www.forchecaudine.com · www.quotidianodelsud.it · +2 more
[DISPUTED] There were 433 airspace violations recorded in the first seven months of the year. www.economica.net · www.egnews.it · www.forchecaudine.com · www.quotidianodelsud.it · www.redazionenews.it · +3 more
[● 9 SOURCES] The drone approached the terminal runway of Alexandroupolis airport while a passenger plane was preparing for takeoff. www.economica.net · www.realitatea.net · www.egnews.it · www.forchecaudine.com · www.quotidianodelsud.it · +4 more
[● 3 SOURCES] The drone was diverted without compromising the safety of the Aegean Airlines passenger flight. www.standartnews.com · fjala.al · www.libertaddigital.com
[● 2 SOURCES] A Turkish drone illegally entered Greek airspace near Alexandroupolis. www.economica.net · www.realitatea.net