Mysterious Drone Sightings in the US Northeast Prompt Calls for Emergency Declaration
Mysterious reports of drone clusters in the night skies over New Jersey and other parts of the US northeast have sparked outrage and demands for action from Congress members, with some calling for a limited state of emergency to be declared over the region.
The issue began with isolated social media postings by local residents in mid-November, but has since risen to the attention of state and federal authorities. On Wednesday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy held a briefing call with the US homeland security secretary and representatives in Congress and state police to discuss the sightings, with Murphy emphasizing that “there was no known threat to the public at this time.”
The FBI has received over 3,000 sightings, but still has no explanation for the phenomenon. An FBI official, Robert Wheeler, told Congress members that there is no indication of nefarious intentions, but that the agency still doesn’t know what is behind the sightings. Wheeler noted that the public is not at risk, but the lack of an explanation is concerning.
Some lawmakers have called for a ban on all drones until the mystery is solved, while others have expressed concerns about the potential for drones to be spotted near sensitive infrastructure, such as electric transmission sites, rail stations, and police departments. Sightings have been reported in eight New Jersey counties and have now spread to parts of New York City and the suburbs of Philadelphia.
The Pentagon has responded to baseless claims that the drones are from an “Iranian mothership” off the coast of New Jersey, saying that there is no such ship and that the drones are not coming from a foreign entity or adversary. The US Northern Command also released a statement, saying it has not been requested to assist with the events.