1 day ago
Last Updated:March 02, 2025, 07:43 IST
F-16 jets were scrambled by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to escort the three civilian aircraft out of the area, as per reports.
US President Donald Trump (AP)
F-16 fighter jets had to be scrambled to intercept three aircraft that reportedly violated the airspace above Palm Beach, Florida, where US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort is located.
The F-16 jets were scrambled by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to escort the three civilian aircraft. The fighter jets reportedly had to deploy flares while intercepting two aircraft.
All three civilian fliers were safely nudged out of Palm Beach airspace, the Daily Mail reported, citing Todd Starnes, a host on the conservative outlet Newsmax. These reports could not be independently confirmed.
The incidents occurred at 11:05 am, 12:10 pm and 12:50 pm. (local time). It’s unclear under what circumstances these planes flew into Palm Beach airspace, but these kinds of scenarios have happened frequently over the past few weeks.
According to a previous report, there were three airspace violations over the city during Trump’s six-day visit to Mar-a-Lago last month. Two violations occurred on February 15 and one on Presidents Day, February 17.
Additionally, NORAD reported that another civilian aircraft was found flying improperly over Palm Beach on February 18, and the agency had to scramble fighter jets and deploy flares to warn the pilot.
NORAD explained that these flares are “employed with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground."
Temporary flight restrictions have been set up around Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate whenever he visits since he became President in January. Under these restrictions, aircraft and drones are restricted from operating without permission in a certain area for a limited time, as per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In another development, Trump on Friday said that boxes of classified documents that the FBI seized from his Mar-a-Lago home during an investigation into possible misconduct have been returned to him.
Trump said that the boxes, which contained top secret documents that he had faced charges of improperly taking with him when he left the White House after his first term, had been returned by the Justice Department, now led by his own appointees.
(with AFP inputs)
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:March 02, 2025, 07:43 IST
News world 3 Aircraft Violate Airspace Near Trump's Florida Estate, F-16 Fighter Jets Scrambled: Report
