A fed-up New Jersey sheriff said he tried to track the mysterious drones flying over his county, but they “easily” evaded his efforts. The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office launched its own “industrial-grade” drone on Thursday to follow one of the 50 unmanned aerial vehicles after a local cop reported seeing them “coming off the ocean,” Sheriff Michael Mastronardy said.
After spotting the drones, the officer called 911 to notify police, the FBI, and the Coast Guard. The maritime agency later reported seeing 13 drones trailing their boat, estimating the drones’ wingspan to be around eight feet. The mysterious drones, unlike typical models, don’t emit heat, making them harder to track.
Mystery of the Unidentified Drones
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They swiftly maneuvered out of the Sheriff’s office’s grasp, Sheriff Mastronardy told News Nation reporter Rich McHugh. This incident is just one of many reports of drone sightings that have raised concerns among residents in New Jersey and beyond.
McHugh shared the story on Friday night with anchor Elizabeth Vargas, explaining that he initially believed the drone panic was caused by “pranksters” until he saw the drones himself.
“If this is not our military, then it’s even more scary,” McHugh said. “These things look like they are fixed-wing and they have multiple lights. I’m not really sure how to process what I saw last night. Both the photographer and I were kind of stunned.”
The SUV-sized, unidentified aircraft have been flying over New Jersey and has raised concerns among residents since November 18.
There are various theories about the drones’ origins, with some speculating that they could be the work of foreign adversaries.
White House Clarifies
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On Friday, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby reassured the public that there was no cause for alarm, despite the numerous drone sightings.
Kirby suggested that many of the reports were likely instances where manned aircraft were confused with drones. However, he admitted that officials were still having difficulty verifying some of the sightings and encouraged the public to keep reporting any suspicious activity.
The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office noted that they have been having trouble tracking the flying objects, as they don’t emit heat like typical drones.
“We don’t know [why]. It’s not something we’ve had our hands on or experienced,” one officer said.
The first drone sightings occurred on November 18, over the US Army’s Picatinny Arsenal and Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.
Since then, the FBI has received over 3,000 tips, with reports of varying reliability emerging from at least 12 counties across New Jersey, as well as eastern Pennsylvania and Orange County, New York.