US F16s intercept civilian planes near Trump’s New Jersey golf club, dramatic video surfaces | WATCH
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "US F16s intercept civilian planes near Trump’s New Jersey golf club, dramatic video surfaces | WATCH")
US President Donald Trump Photograph: (AFP)
Three general aviation aircraft violated temporary flight restrictions near Donald Trump's Bedminster golf club, prompting NORAD to intercept two with F-16 fighter jets. A third aircraft triggered an alert as Trump prepared to leave, reportedly delaying his departure by about 13 minutes.
In a latest development, the US officials on Sunday (Aug 9) intercepted at least three general aviation aircraft citing that they violated the temporary flight restrictions near Bedminster, New Jersey, as the country's President Donald Trump spent the weekend at his golf club. The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) said its F-16 fighter jets intercepted two general aviation aircraft. It also said that a third plane triggered an alert while Trump was preparing to depart the area, where the four-day LIV Golf New York tournament was being held.
The situation turned into a chaos and US Secret Service agents rushed to action in order to keep the US President Trump safe. Emergency SUVs and law enforcement officers were also seen moving. Following the incident, officials noted that the first two general aviation aircraft were safely escorted out of the restricted area by NORAD aircraft. Meanwhile, the aircraft "reestablished communications and became compliant before Norad intervention was required." Videos now circulating online captured the interceptions of the first two aircraft. It shows the dramatic moment an F-16 fighter jet closed in on what appeared to be a small Cessna aircraft near Jefferson Township, outside Bedminster.
WATCH THE DRAMATIC VIDEO HERE
All restrictions were in place
It is pertinent to note that, ahead of Trump's landing in New Jersey, NORAD said that it would enforce multiple FAA-established temporary flight restrictions over the region this weekend. Both pilots and the public were told that the US Army ground-based defence assets may be present in the area, operating under the Continental US Norad Region as part of the command’s routine, layered defence. "These systems are operating under Norad authorities, constitute a routine component of the command’s layered defence posture and work in tandem with the command’s airborne assets to monitor and protect the airspace," information published by the Defence Visual Information Distribution Service said. Therefore, according to rule F16s intercepted the civilian planes and no laws were voilated.
