Military fighter jets on Saturday scrambled to intercept a civilian aircraft that entered temporarily restricted airspace over Palm Beach, Florida, shortly after President Donald Trump arrived at his resort there.
At about 4:20 p.m. Saturday, an hour after he arrived at Mar-a-Lago, North American Aerospace Defense Command ordered F-16s to intercept a civilian aircraft after it entered the airspace.
The jets released flares to get the pilot's attention before escorting the aircraft out of the restricted area.
"The flares, which may have been visible to the public, are used with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground," NORAD said in a statement.
"The identification and monitoring of the civilian aircraft demonstrate how NORAD executes its aerospace warning and control missions for the United States and Canada," the agency added.
Aviation authorities also issued a reminder that pilots must check "Notices to Airmen" before each flight, posted on the Federal Aviation Administration website.
"If required, NORAD jets will respond to aircraft violating the TFR and take the necessary action to gain compliance, a scenario we encourage all pilots to avoid," officials said, referring to the temporary flight restriction.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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