WASHINGTON (AP) – The military sent dozens of fighter jets Wednesday to patrol the skies over New York, Washington, and other U.S. and Canadian cities minutes after a small plane crashed into a New York City high rise.
Adm. Timothy Keating, commander of U.S. Northern Command, told The Associated Press that military officials knew it was not likely a terrorist act “about a half an hour after it happened.”
But about 2 1/2 hours after the incident, many aircraft were still aloft – some of them being refueled by tankers, Keating said. He said cities covered also included Los Angeles and Seattle. Two F-15 jets from Otis Air National Guard Base on Cape Cod were scrambled.
Keating said he ordered the fighters to be scrambled immediately after seeing information about the crash on television. The aircraft “were in the air in less than 10 minutes,” he said, adding, “We assumed it was (a terrorist act) until we were confident it wasn’t.”
The North American Aerospace Defense Command said the patrols would continue for some time and the fighters then would remain on high alert. NORAD would not provide details on the flights or at what point they would be discontinued.
The military would not say exactly how many fighters remained on patrol.
In addition to the fighters, the military sent up other support aircraft, including Airborne Warning and Control System and tankers. AWACS planes are used to coordinate the flights of the fighters and to track any other aircraft in the area.
One military official said it was likely that Air National Guard aircraft from some of the 10 fighter wings of the First Air Force were among those scrambled for patrols. The 10 wings are based in California, Florida, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, Vermont and Virginia.
U.S. Northern Command was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to ensure that the military is prepared for security threats inside U.S. borders.
“We were better prepared” than for Sept. 11, Keating said. “We executed the plan that we have exercised. Those assets are in place 24/7, 365 days.”
Moments after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, two F-15s from Otis were scrambled and sent to New York City, arriving minutes after the second plane crashed into the World Trade Center.
Otis spokesman Cliff McDonald said two jets were scrambled Wednesday, but he said he had no information on the mission. Once the jets are airborne, NORAD directs the pilots, he said.
Officials said the single-engine plane, carrying New York Yankee Cory Lidle, slammed into a 50-story skyscraper, apparently killing the pitcher and a second person.
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Associated Press writer Robert Weller in Denver contributed to this report.
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