Multiple Flight In And Out Of Liberty International Airport Affected Tuesday

Airline pilots flying for Southwest and United Airlines reported seeing a drone flying at 3,500 feet near Teterboro airport in New Jersey, which caused the FAA to stop operations at nearby Newark Liberty International Airport for about 21 minutes Tuesday.

CNN reports that initially, there were reports of two drones in the area, but later said it was actually two sightings of a single drone.

Reuters reports that 43 flights at Newark Liberty were held on the ground during the incident, while nine incoming flights were diverted. Teterboro is about 15 nautical miles from Newark Liberty.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which has responsibility for both airports, said Wednesday that it had hosted a "working session" with local and federal authorities last week "to review and enhance protocols for the rapid detection and interdiction of drones." No further details were released due to security reasons.

In December, drone sightings near Gatwick Airport in London forced the cancellation of about 1,000 flights and affected some 140,000 passengers.

(Image from file)

FMI: CNN report, Reuters report via Yahoo News