FAA lifts unprecedented El Paso airspace restrictions after seven hours; 14 flights canceled
elpasomatters.org
Federal officials abruptly closed and then reopened El Paso’s airspace within seven hours, grounding commercial, military and emergency flights while questions remain about the alleged drone activity that prompted the shutdown.

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/47269276

The Federal Aviation Administration has closed airspace over El Paso and parts of southern New Mexico for 10 days under a national defense designation, offering no explanation for the rare move. The FAA order states aircraft violating the restriction could face interception and possible use of deadly force.

  • dogslayeggs@lemmy.world
    1·
    5 hours ago

    I’m being told this is about cartel drones in the area. I have no idea if that is the real reason, but with cartels using legit submarines then I have no problem believing this might actually be the real reason.

    • CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      5 hours ago

      From the article:

      Escobar said drone activity along the U.S.-Mexico border has been a well-known problem in the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez region.

      “Those of us who live in El Paso likely have known that there have been drone incursions from Mexico going back to as long as drones existed. So, this is nothing new, and this drone incursion from Mexico (was) obviously not something any of us want to see. But this is not unusual, and there was nothing extraordinary about the drone, any drone incursion into the U.S. that I’m aware of,” Escobar said.

      I feel like its something else they didn’t want anyone to see from an aerial perspective, like troops entering Mexico or the digging and filling of mass graves for ICE detainees at Fort Bliss.