Fighter jets were scrambled and deployed flares over Palm Beach Sunday after a civilian plane breached restricted airspace near President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, U.S. military officials said.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed that F-16 fighter jets intercepted an aircraft that entered a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) zone at about 1:15 p.m. That restriction is typically imposed when the president is in the area.
Mr. Trump was at his West Palm Beach golf club at the time of the breach, according to White House pool reporters. Air Force One remained secure on the tarmac at the Palm Beach airport throughout the incident.
While NORAD has reported dozens of similar incidents in the area in recent months, Sunday’s intercept gained traction online after a video from a Delta Airlines flight began circulating on social media, CBS affiliate WPEC reported. In the video, a pilot is heard informing passengers of a ground stop due to a potential security breach.
“They’re not sure what it was, but apparently there was a drone that came in too close to the airport,” the pilot is heard saying over the intercom. “They had to scramble some helicopters to go and investigate that.”
However, NORAD later confirmed the security breach was the civilian aircraft.
During the incident, the fighter jets deployed flares, officials confirmed. “The flares were used to draw attention from or communicate with the pilot. Flares are employed with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground,” NORAD said.
The civilian aircraft was safely escorted out of the restricted area once communication was re-established.
The interception comes after a decision in October to impose a 24/7, year-round flight restriction around Mar-a-Lago, WPEC reported. Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is located in Palm Beach, and his golf club is in West Palm Beach.
Back in 2017, during Mr. Trump’s first term, a pair of F-15 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept an unresponsive aircraft near Mar-a-Lago. Officials said the military action created a “sonic boom,” the sound created by planes traveling at supersonic speeds through the air, which alarmed nearby residents.