The US Senators from New York and New Jersey are demanding federal authorities hold a briefing to reveal all they know about legions of mysterious drones seen flying through the night skies of New Jersey by hundreds of people.
“We write out of urgent concern regarding the unmanned aerial system activity that has affected communities across New York and New Jersey in recent days,” said four senators from New York and New Jersey in a Wednesday letter to the Department of Homeland security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Wednesday, and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The senators — majority leader Chuck Schumer (D, NY), Kirsten Gillibrand (D, NY), Cory Booker (D, NJ) and Senator-elect Andy Kim (D, NJ) — said the “ongoing nature of these drone incidents” has left them and their constituents “concerned,” and demanded the federal agencies explain what they are doing to “identify and address the source of these incursions.”
“Since late November, communities in the New York City area and northern New Jersey have reported several incidents of unattributable drone sightings at night, alarming both residents and local law enforcement,” the letter said, explaining they had been seen near “critical infrastructure and sensitive locations,” including military bases and reservoirs.
“In addition to potential privacy concerns raised by these aerial systems, we are also especially concerned about how these drones may harm public safety,” they wrote in their letter.
“Especially given recent reports that a medevac helicopter was prevented from transporting a seriously injured patient for care because of the presence of these drones.”
They requested a reply from the federal agencies by Dec. 23.
The letter comes as frustrations over the bizarre drones — which have been dogging the skies of Jersey and nearby parts of New York nightly for nearly a month — boiled over Wednesday when US Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R, NJ) claimed “highly reliable sources” told him they were Iranian, which the pentagon then categorically denied but failed to offer any further insight.
Meanwhile, the FBI and other authorities have said they have no idea what the drones are — but continue to insist without explanation they pose no danger to Americans.
Van Drew sent a letter of his own to President Biden Wednesday demanding answers, and now enough appears to be enough for the states’ Democratic leadership, too.
The DHS and the New Jersey State Police held a briefing for Jersey legislators on Wednesday and again claimed to have no idea what the drones are, but described the remarkable scope of the phenomenon.
Sightings began on November 18 and have persisted nightly since — with sometimes as many as 180 reports coming in on a single night, state Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia reported after the briefing.
The drones are typically up to six feet in length, range up to 15 miles while staying in the air for seven hours at a time, and somehow avoid detection whenever something tries to intercept them.
“We know nothing. PERIOD. To state that there is no known or credible threat is incredibly misleading,” Fantasia wrote in a post on X.
