Two men were arrested in Boston over the weekend for flying a drone “dangerously close” to Logan International Airport, as investigations into objects in the sky continue across the East Coast.
Robert Duffy, 42, of Charlestown, and Jeremy Forcik, 32, of Bridgewater, were arrested Saturday night and taken into custody on Long Island, part of the Boston Harbor Islands, Boston police said. It was done. Said.
Both were charged with trespassing. Authorities said a Boston police officer specializing in crime surveillance detected an unmanned aircraft system flying near the airport and determined the location of the drone.
When police responded, the three suspects fled on foot, Duffy and Forcik were arrested, and a drone was found in Duffy’s backpack, police said. The search for the third suspect continued. It is unclear whether the suspect has hired a lawyer.
Boston Police say even small drones “can cause catastrophic damage to airplanes and helicopters. A near-collision can cause pilots to veer off course, putting lives and property at risk.” , warned that it posed a “significant” risk.
The arrests come as drone sightings have been reported across the country, prompting airport closures in some cases and prompting lawmakers and the FAA to increase surveillance.
Follow live updates on US drone sightings
Drone activity led to the closure of critical airspace at the air base over the weekend.
In Ohio, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base was shut down for four hours Friday after drones were seen flying over or near the campus. The shutdown ended early Saturday morning, according to NBC affiliate WDTN in Dayton. A spokesperson for the 88th Air Base Wing said the drone was small and unmanned and did not disrupt operations on the base.
Meanwhile, in the Northeast, the runway at New York Stewart International Airport in Orange County was closed for about an hour Friday night due to drone activity in the airspace, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
She asked for federal assistance and said federal partners are deploying drone detection systems. But she and other lawmakers say more needs to be done to regulate drone use.
“We appreciate the support, but we need more support. Congress needs to pass legislation that gives us the authority to deal directly with drones,” she told X Sunday.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York on Sunday asked the Department of Homeland Security to send a drone detection system to New York and New Jersey after numerous drone sightings in the Northeast.
Schumer told reporters it was “remarkable” that despite the number of sightings, “there are more questions than answers.”
He also pushed for legislation that would give state and local law enforcement the right to use software to detect unmanned aerial devices.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told X on Sunday night that he met with New Jersey State Police and radar technicians who were “investigating areas for unmanned aircraft systems.”
“The public deserves clear answers, and we will continue to press the federal government for more information and resources,” he said.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are investigating the sighting. In a statement Thursday, authorities said there was no evidence that the sightings posed a “threat to national security or public safety, or any foreign ties.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged the recent drone sightings on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” on Sunday, saying aircraft under his control are often mistaken for drones.
“Thousands of drones fly in the United States every day, both recreational and commercial. That’s the reality. And in September 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will allow drones to fly at night. The rules have changed. , which may be one of the reasons why we’re seeing more drones than ever before, especially from dawn to dusk. That’s the reality, but I want to assure the American public that we’re working on it. ” Mayorkas said.
“Regarding the sightings in the northeast, we have not heard of any foreign involvement, and we are carefully investigating this matter,” he added.
