JUST IN: NORAD Intercepts Multiple Planes Over Mar-A-Lago, Raises Alert
NORAD announced that F-16 fighter jets have been scrambled to intercept multiple aircraft that have breached the airspace around President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Estate in Palm Beach, Florida over the past 48 hours.
According to a press release from the Continental United States NORAD Region Office of Public Affairs, F-16’s were ordered to respond to a “general aviation aircraft” over Palm Beach on Sunday. “The civilian aircraft violated the Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) at approximately 1:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The aircraft was safely escorted out of the area by NORAD aircraft,” officials explained.
NORAD aircraft dispensed flares, which may have been visible to the public, when attempting to draw the pilot’s attention. The press release further explained that flares are deployed “with the highest regard for safety,” adding that they burn out quickly and pose no threat to the public.
“NORAD and the FAA work closely together to keep the skies over America safe, with close attention paid to areas with Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR),’’ said Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander, NORAD and US Northern Command. “Adherence to TFR procedures is essential to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the President. The procedures are not optional, and the excessive number of recent TFR violations indicates many civil aviators are not reading Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMs, before each flight as required by the FAA, and has resulted in multiple responses by NORAD fighter aircraft to guide offending aircraft out of the TFR. Should the pilot of an aircraft happen to find itself intercepted by one of fighters or helicopters, they should immediately come up on frequency 121.5 or 243.0 and turn around to reverse course until receiving additional instructions on one of those frequencies.”
Mar-a-Lago is shown in an aerial view on January 12, 2013.
Federal officials maintain a permanent flight restriction over Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate that expands to a radius of 30 nautical miles when the president is in town.
NORAD employs a layered defense network of radars, satellites, and fighter aircraft to identify and respond to potential threats. While intrusions in the heavily congested South Florida air space are routine, NORAD is raising its alert level over the increased frequency in TFR violations in the area.
Since President Trump was inaugurated on January 20, NORAD has responded to over 20 tracks of interest entering the Palm Beach, Florida TFR area, officials said.