A U.S. MQ-9 Reaper crashed early Monday at the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, Niger, the Air Force confirmed.
The mishap damaged the runway but caused no injuries, according to the Air Force.
“The U.S. government is working closely with the government of Niger to secure the scene and mitigate inconveniences caused by the incident,” the Air Force said in a statement. “The cause of the incident is currently under investigation. More information will be released pending an investigation by U.S. Air Force officials.”
The Air Force deployed about 100 airmen and drones to Niamey last year to help share intelligence with French forces in Mali, along with keeping an eye on militants in the region, President Obama told Congress at the time.
The Reaper was returning from a surveillance mission and was unarmed, according to the Air Force.
Last month, the U.S. announced it was considering moving the drones and personnel about 450 miles north to Agadez, a city of about 88,000 people with a small airstrip. The government of Niger requested the move to better position the drones to watch threats in the region.
The Air Force will convene an investigation board to determine the cause of the crash.
