MOSCOW, October 30. /TASS/. A US-registered NATO reconnaissance aircraft spent more than seven hours flying over the Black Sea on Friday, a source in air traffic control services told TASS.

The aircraft, a Bombardier ARTEMIS II, regularly conducts surveillance flights over international waters in the southern Black Sea, spending hours flying back and forth between the western and eastern parts of the region.

"The aircraft was spotted in the area for the first time this week, spending just over seven hours there in total," the source said. He noted that during several passes, the aircraft flew almost as far as the Romanian-Ukrainian border, making repeated loops over the surrounding area.

According to the source, the aircraft has since returned to its home base in Constanta, Romania.

"Earlier this week, the Bombardier ARTEMIS II was also spotted near the Kaliningrad Region, flying along its perimeter while remaining in Polish and Lithuanian airspace. It was also observed over the Mediterranean Sea," the source added.

He further noted that in late July, the aircraft set what could be considered a record by spending nine hours over the Black Sea. On October 7, it was spotted over the sea alongside a Swedish Air Force Gulfstream S102B Korpen radar reconnaissance aircraft.