Texas airspace shut after Pentagon shoots down border patrol drone
· Axios
The Federal Aviation Administration prohibited flights in a Texas region near the border with Mexico after the Defense Department accidentally shot down a border patrol drone on Thursday, an administration official told Axios.
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The big picture: Per an FAA notice, the agency issued airspace restrictions "for Special Security Reasons" after the Pentagon shot down the drone in the area around Fort Hancock, just over 50 miles southeast of El Paso — the scene of a similar airspace closure earlier this month.
Driving the news: The latest incident happened because CBP didn't coordinate with the department, an administration official told Axios.
- Neither coordinated with FAA, according to the official.
What they're saying: After Reuters first reported that the Pentagon was believed to have used a "military laser-based anti-drone system" to shoot down the drone, the Pentagon referred Axios to the FAA for comment.
- An FAA spokesperson did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment on this, but said in an emailed statement Thursday night that a temporary flight restriction was already in place around the Fort Hancock area.
- "The TFR has been expanded to include a greater radius to ensure safety," the spokesperson added. "Because of the location of the TFR, it does not impact commercial flights."
What's next: Airspace restrictions that went into effect around 6.30pm Thursday local time are due to last through June 24, though air ambulance and search and rescue flights can be exempted, per the FAA notice.
Flashback: El Paso airspace shutdown sparks D.C. blame game
Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.