Mystery drones still causing concern over US Northeast

NEW YORK, United States — Unidentified drones were stoking security and safety fears over the US Northeast at the weekend, prompting New York's governor to seek federal help, as President-elect Donald Trump weighed in to suggest the devices be shot down.

"This has gone too far," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Saturday, lamenting in a statement that "drone activity in the airspace" forced a one-hour shutdown of the runways Friday night at Stewart Airfield, a smaller regional airport in the state.

New York's port authority confirmed the temporary closure to AFP, saying the halt was taken at Stewart "following a report from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) about a drone sighting at the airport." Flight traffic was not affected.

For weeks now residents of New York and neighboring New Jersey, both on the US East Coast have been reporting flights of large unidentified drones, a phenomenon that has only fueled concerns -- especially since local and national authorities have provided no answers as to the origins of the devices.

Video footage of mysterious airborne devices has clogged social media platforms, and some elected officials have taken to criticizing President Joe Biden's administration for its supposed inaction.

On Thursday a spokesman for the White House's National Security Council, John Kirby, sought to reassure that there was "no evidence" of a threat, saying they may be manned aircraft including lawfully-operated small planes or helicopters.

Some lawmakers like Republican congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey have raised the prospect of threats from a foreign state such as Russia or China, without citing evidence to back the claim.

On Friday Trump jumped provocatively into the fray.

"Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge," he posed on his Truth Social media platform. "I don't think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!"

Governor Hochul for her part is calling on Congress to pass legislation that would bolster the ability to counter so-called unmanned aircraft systems and "strengthen the FAA's oversight of drones."