(Corrects ⁠headline and first paragraph to ⁠clarify that the drone approached from the Black Sea ⁠and was not downed over the Black Sea)

ANKARA, Dec 16 (Reuters) – ​Turkey shot down an uncontrolled drone that ‍approached its airspace from the Black Sea, the defence ministry said.

The incident follows Turkey’s warning last week of Black ​Sea escalation after Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports that damaged three Turkish-owned cargo vessels.

In a statement, the ministry ​said Turkish and NATO F-16 jets were put ⁠on alert to ensure the security of Turkish ‌airspace after the detection of the drone.

It was determined that ⁠the drone was out ​of control and it was shot down in ‌a safe area, the ministry added in Monday’s statement, but did ‍not elaborate on its type or origin.

The attacks on Ukrainian ports came days after Moscow threatened to “cut Ukraine off from the sea” following Kyiv’s attacks that damaged three ‘shadow fleet’ tankers heading to Russia to export its oil in the Black Sea.

(Reporting ⁠by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing ‌by Clarence ⁠Fernandez)