French prosecutors have launched an investigation after reports emerged that drones flew over a nuclear submarine base on the Atlantic coast late Thursday, authorities said Friday. The inquiry is being handled by a prosecutor responsible for military affairs in the city of Rennes.
Jean-Marie Blin, the prosecutor, stated that the drone flights were reported between approximately 7:00 PM Thursday and 1:00 AM Friday.
Blin denied media reports claiming that the gendarmerie fired at the suspected drones, but confirmed that precautionary measures were taken.
According to Blin, the drone flights, mostly of unknown origin, have been recorded in European airspace in recent months. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described these incursions as a form of “hybrid warfare”. Russia has consistently denied involvement in these airspace violations.
The Île Longue base in northwest France is home to France’s nuclear-powered submarines, each equipped with 16 ballistic missiles capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads, according to the French Navy.
The prosecutor emphasized that the investigation is currently focused on verifying whether drones were indeed in the sky, noting that some reports could be entirely fabricated while others appear more serious. Witnesses include gendarmerie personnel and military officers present at the scene.
