TWO multi-million-pound British Army drones crashed into the Irish Sea after taking off from Aberporth earlier this year, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

The loss of the unmanned Watchkeeper aircraft led to the temporary grounding of the entire fleet, it emerged last week, with flight trials only resuming in early July.

The crashes – coming three years after a multi-million-pound drone had to be scrapped after crashing on the Aberporth airfield - are the latest in a series of accidents and delays to have hit the Army’s new spy planes.

The MoD ordered 54 Watchkeepers in 2005 as part of an £847m deal. Originally, it was hoped they would be in service by 2010.

A recent report form the UK infrastructure and projects authority said the project had already cost £1.1bn.

Delays have been blamed on technical and safety issues and a lack of trained personnel.

The MoD said despite the crashes, it was hoped to bring the aircraft into full service by the end of the year.

A spokesman said: “Inquiries into the specific incidents are ongoing as they look to learn all they can from the events.”

The Aberporth airport has been the scene of a number of protests by peace campaigners in recent years.

Harry Rogers, who runs Drones Campaign Network Cymru, said people had concerns over safety, privacy and noise.