India, April 10 -- A $200 million US Navy MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone has seemingly gone missing over the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a wave of speculation and unanswered questions.

Several social media users cited open-source flight tracking data and said the high-altitude drone rapidly lost altitude after declaring an in-flight emergency, even transmitting the universal "7700" distress code. Some reports also indicated it may have turned slightly toward Iranian airspace before descending sharply and vanishing from public tracking systems.

The incident has quickly fuelled claims online, with several internet users alleging that Iran may have shot down the aircraft. However, there is no official confirmation from the US military or...