An Aer Lingus Regional pilot flying toward Dublin Airport reported sighting a large black drone operating at an altitude of approximately 6,000 feet over the Irish Sea on Tuesday evening, September 8, 2026. The sighting occurred at around 5:20 p.m. as the civilian aircraft was making its approach into Dublin on a flight from Cornwall.

According to air traffic control radio recordings, the pilot reported that the unmanned aircraft was positioned about two miles off the left-hand side of the airplane. The drone was observed outside the 12-nautical-mile territorial limit of Irish airspace. Asked by air traffic controllers if any identifying markings were visible, the pilot described the object as large and black. Air traffic control queried other aircraft in the vicinity, but no other crews reported seeing the object.

AirNav Ireland, which provides air traffic management services in Irish airspace, confirmed that an arriving aircraft reported a possible drone sighting. The agency stated that a safety report was filed and the matter was formally referred to An Garda Síochána in line with standard safety protocols. Following the notification, an Irish Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched to search over the Dublin Bay area.

It is currently unknown who was operating the drone or whether the incident was malicious. The report coincided with widespread European flight delays caused by air traffic control technical issues in the UK, as well as high-level diplomatic events held in Dublin.