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RIGA, May 23 (LETA) - A drone crashed and detonated in the Dridza Lake in Kraslava Municipality on Saturday morning, the State Police informed LETA.

Today at around 8 am, the State Security Service received information from residents about an unmanned aerial vehicle crashing into Lake Dridza, Kombuli County, Kraslava Municipality, where it detonated in contact with the water. There were no casualties.

The police immediately went to the indicated place and started to investigate it. Debris of a possible unmanned aerial vehicle was found at the scene.

The area to be surveyed is large, therefore additional forces were deployed to inspect the scene, including an additional State Police deployment with a drone, State Fire and Rescue Service personnel with a boat and the National Armed Forces.

The services are continuing their work at the scene.

The State Police urges residents to stay away from the scene, to follow official information from the services and to immediately report any drone debris to the police.

The National Armed Forces (NBS) told LETA that sensors did not detect the drone entering Latvian territory. That is why no SMS alert was sent out.

"I am in contact with the relevant services working in the Kraslava Municipality near Lake Dridza following the crash and explosion of an unmanned aerial vehicle in the lake. I am awaiting the most detailed information possible from the services regarding the circumstances of the incident and further action," outgoing Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) posted on her X account.

She urges residents to follow official information.

Viktorija Lene (Greens/Farmers), deputy chair of the Kraslava Municipal Council, also told the LETA that she trusts the work of the authorities on the scene. In her view, the most important thing is that no residents were harmed in the incident.

The local government’s involvement in the incident is not currently necessary. However, municipal representatives have reportedly received photographs showing dead fish in the lake.

Lene could not say how far the nearest settlements or homes are from the scene of the incident.

As reported, residents in Latvia's eastern region of Latgale have received similar cell broadcast notifications over the past few months, most likely related to drones approaching or entering Latvian airspace amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Such drones have also exploded on Latvian territory on several occasions, including on May 7 at an oil storage facility in Rezekne.

So far, no people have been injured in such incidents, but a recent drone crash in Rezekne led to the sacking of Defense Minister Andris Spruds (Progressives) and the resignation of Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity).