WORLD.- The drone flyover supposedly operated by a drug trafficking cartel caused the temporary suspension of flights from the El Paso airport (Texas), in the border with Mexicofor security reasons, reported this Wednesday the Secretary of Transportation of the United States, Sean Duffy, who stated that they neutralized the “threat.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA, in English) and the War Department “acted quickly to address a cartel drone incursion,” Duffy wrote on the X social network shortly after the FAA announced the resumption of air operations from the Texas town.
“The threat has been neutralized and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming“said the Secretary of Transportation, citing the aviation body’s publication lifting the restriction.
Flights to El Paso Airport, Texas suspended
The FAA issued an unusual notice last night regarding the suspension of all flights in El Paso “for special security reasons”, which came into effect at 11:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday and was scheduled to remain in place until 11:30 p.m. local time on February 20.
The restriction covered an area of 16 kilometers around El Paso and the neighboring community of Santa Teresa, in the state of New Mexico.
The aviation agency He did not specify the reasons for this closure.although a person with knowledge of the events explained, according to The New York Times, that it would be related to a test new technology antidrone carried out by the Army at the nearby Fort Bliss military base.
The suspension of flights in the border area between the United States and Mexico coincides with a increase in tension between governments of the two countries after repeated threats by President Donald Trump of possible ground attacks against Mexican drug cartels, designated as terrorist organizations by Washington.
The Democratic congresswoman for El Paso, Verónica Escobar, insisted today that there is “no threat” to the area, which is why “the FAA lifted this restriction so quickly,” the representative said in a press conference, cited by the Times.
“The information coming from the administration doesn’t add up. There have been drone incursions from Mexico for as long as drones have existed. So this is nothing new,” Escobar said.
READ: Technological leap of Mexican cartels: this is how they operate with explosive drones
Leave a Reply