A NORAD F-16 fighter jet intercepted an aircraft Saturday morning flying over restricted airspace in Thurmont, Maryland, near Camp David, where President Donald Trump is spending the weekend.
The NORAD pilot deployed flares to gain the attention of the other, unnamed pilot of what was described as a “general aviation aircraft” before safely escorting it out of the area, according to a Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) news release.
DVIDS is the official media hub for the Department of War.
“Should NORAD aircraft intercept a general aviation aircraft, the pilot should immediately come up on frequency 121.5 or 243.0 and turn around to reverse course until receiving additional instructions on one of those frequencies,” DVIDS said.
According to the news release, the NORAD aircraft’s flares might have been visible to the public.
“The flares were used to draw attention from or communicate with the pilot,” DVIDS said. “Flares are employed with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground.”
The First Air Force, which operates under the U.S. Northern Command and NORAD, also posted a statement on X about the aerial encounter around Camp David.
“Pilots! [A NORAD] fighter aircraft intercepted an aircraft violating restricted airspace over Thurmont, MD, resulting in flares being deployed,” the post said. “Make sure to check [Notices to Airmen] before takeoff to ensure you have current information about [Temporary Flight Restrictions] in your area.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times about whether the interception caused any disruptions to Trump’s Camp David trip.
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