Fighter jets scrambled near Trump's Fla. estate to intercept aircraft
A pair of Air Force F-15 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept an unresponsive aircraft near President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Friday, creating a “sonic boom” that alarmed nearby residents, officials said.
“The intercept required the Air Force F-15s from Homestead Air National Guard Base to travel at supersonic speeds, a sound noticed by area residents, to get to the general aviation aircraft where they were able to establish communications,” the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said in a statement late Friday.
Indeed, the loud noise unnerved some residents, prompting a flood of 911 calls. That prompted a response by the Broward Sheriff’s office:
Booming sound heard in @CityofWeston and nearby cities was from military planes headed to Palm Beach County. Please don't tie up 9-1-1.
— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) February 18, 2017
“The intent of military intercepts is to have the identified aircraft re-establish communications with local FAA air traffic controllers and instruct the pilot to follow air traffic controllers’ instructions to land safely for follow-on action,” NORAD added.
The incident unfolded a day before Mr. Trump held a rally during his third straight weekend at his private south Florida club. It was another working weekend for the president, who planned to interview at least four potential candidates for the job of national security adviser, a position unexpectedly open after retired Gen. Michael Flynn’s firing early this week.