Or maybe they aren't that competent, lacking collision avoidance systems when out of controlled spacetime: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangar_18_(film) :-)

Or are dumb hiveminds, having lost their queen due to whatever, and are only caring about satisfying their craving for catfood like in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_9 ?

;-)

On the one hand, ridiculous that this even made the Independent.

On the other hand, entirely plausible as a near-last resort to distract public attention from the still-unreleased Epstein files.