LAKE TAHOE- United States Military and Coast Guard aircraft was deployed over Lake Tahoe after a personal aircraft breached the airspace designated for vacationing President Joe Biden Friday.
Amid the president’s vacation this week, a temporary flight restriction was imposed over the area. In a statement from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), it was revealed that a civilian aircraft had to be escorted out of the restricted zone at approximately 7:50 a.m. on Friday. The escort operation involved two F-16 fighter aircraft and a Coast Guard helicopter.
NORAD explained that the F-16s used flares to gain the attention of the civilian pilot before guiding the violating plane out of the restricted region. “These flares burn out rapidly without posing any threat to people on the ground.,” reads a press release detailing the incident.
The pilot’s identity wasn’t disclosed, but they left the restricted airspace without any reported incident after being contacted by the fighter aircraft.
Olivia Dalton, the White House principal deputy press secretary, stated that there was no impact on the president during this event, as reported by the Associated Press.