Flights Halted After Mexican Cartel Drones Breach US Airspace

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) overnight ordered a sudden 10-day halt to flights in and out of El Paso International Airport after Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace, an administration official confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation. The ban was lifted hours later.

It was the first such closure since the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

In a notice posted to the FAA’s website and social media outlets late Tuesday night, a temporary restriction of all flights was imposed over roughly an 11-mile radius around the West Texas airport, citing only “special security reasons.” The move, which warned “deadly force” was authorized against any aircraft in violation, was just as suddenly lifted by the FAA on Wednesday morning.

A Trump administration official told DCNF that the Department of War (DOW) took action to neutralize the drones, and both the FAA and DOW concluded there was no ongoing threat to commercial air travel.

The FAA notice had previously warned that the government “may use deadly force” against an aircraft in violation, if it is deemed to pose “an imminent security threat.” A separate notice also restricted flights during the same period near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, roughly 20 miles west of El Paso along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Local officials said they received minimal advance warning.

“There appears to have been no advance notice to local government, airport leadership, or even local Air Traffic Control or local military leadership,” El Paso City Rep. Chris Canales wrote on social media.