Photo: Alamy
Fighter jets were scrambled Sunday after a civilian aircraft entered restricted airspace near President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, U.S. military officials said.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command said F-16 jets intercepted the aircraft at about 1:15 p.m. after it violated a Temporary Flight Restriction zone, which is typically enforced when the president is in the area.
President Trump was at his golf club in West Palm Beach at the time, according to White House pool reports. Officials said Air Force One remained secure at a nearby airport during the incident.
NORAD said the aircraft was safely escorted out of the restricted area after communication was re-established with the pilot. During the intercept, the fighter jets deployed flares, which officials said are used to signal or communicate with pilots.
“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 in a statement.
The incident drew attention after a video circulated online from a commercial flight in which a pilot referenced a possible security issue. Initial reports suggested a drone may have been involved, but NORAD later confirmed the breach was caused by a civilian aircraft.
Authorities said similar airspace violations have occurred in the area in recent months. A 24-hour, year-round flight restriction has been in place around Mar-a-Lago since October, according to local reports.
During President Trump’s first term in 2017, military aircraft were also deployed to intercept an unresponsive plane near the resort, an incident that produced a sonic boom heard by nearby residents.
