FAA lifts temporary halt in El Paso tied to potential military drone action, source says
Flight restrictions put in place and then lifted for El Paso, Texas, by the Federal Aviation Administration were taken as a preemptive measure by the agency amid a potential operation by military drones in the area, a source told ABC News.
The FAA said in a statement that there is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.
Hours after issuing the flight restrictions, the FAA published an updated statement saying the temporary closure of airspace over El Paso had been lifted.
"Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones," an administration official told ABC News. "The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel."
The earlier notice said no flights could operate beginning early Wednesday within a 10 nautical mile radius of El Paso Airport, including from the ground up to 17,999 feet. The restrictions will remain in effect until Feb. 21, the notice said. This excludes the Mexican airspace.
El Paso Airport authorities told ABC News in a statement, "The FAA, on short notice, issued a temporary flight restriction halting all flights to and from El Paso and our neighboring community, Santa Teresa, NM. The restriction prohibits all aircraft operations (including commercial, cargo and general aviation) and is effective from February 10 at 11:30 PM (MST) to February 20 at 11:30PM (MST). Airport staff has reached out to the FAA, and we are pending additional guidance."
The airport says airlines have been advised of the restrictions, and travelers are encouraged to check with their airlines on the latest flight information.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she has no information about why the airspace over El Paso was closed, but that Mexico will investigate.
“Mexican airspace was not closed. Texas airspace was closed. A short while ago, they issued a statement from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, saying that operations have now resumed as normal. And well, we’re going to look into exactly what the reasons were for why it was closed," Sheinbaum said during a press briefing Wednesday.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, described the notice as "unprecedented," saying it "has resulted in significant concern within the community."
"From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning, there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas," Escobar said in a statement. "There was no advance notice provided to my office, the City of El Paso, or anyone involved in airport operations.
The airspace has been defined as "national defense airspace," according to the FAA. Pilots who violate these restrictions could be intercepted or detained for questioning by law enforcement.
Failure to comply with these restrictions could result in the FAA imposing a civil penalty or revoking the pilot’s license. The federal government can also pursue criminal charges or even use "deadly force" against an aircraft if it poses an imminent security threat, according to the notice.
ABC News has reached out to the FAA for additional information behind these restrictions as well as to airlines about disruptions to their operations.
El Paso is home to one of the largest cargo facilities near the border, so these restrictions could have a significant impact on shipments as well. ABC News has also contacted air cargo carriers for any information.
Escobar said her office has "urged the FAA to immediately lift the Temporary Flight Restrictions placed on the El Paso area."
"I will continue to make information public as I learn it," she said.
