A frustrated New Jersey sheriff said he attempted to track the mysterious drones swarming the skies above his county, but they “easily” evaded the effort.
The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office launched its own “industrial grade” drone into the air Thursday in an attempt to track down one of 50 unmanned aerial vehicles that a local cop spotted “coming off the ocean,” according to Sheriff Michael Mastronardy.
The officer contacted the state police, the FBI, and the United States Coast Guard. Coast Guard officers then reported that 13 drones with eight-foot wingspans were following one of their vessels.
The mystery drones, which do not emit heat like more common variants, quickly escaped their grasp, Mastronardy told News Nation reporter Rich McHugh.
On Friday night, McHugh told anchor Elizabeth Vargas that he first thought “pranksters” were to blame for the drone panic until he personally witnessed them.
“If this isn’t our military, then it’s even more frightening,” McHugh informed the audience. “These creatures appear to be fixed-wing, with many lights. I’m not sure how to digest what I witnessed last night.” Both the photographer and I were stunned.”
Since November 18, an unidentifiable SUV-sized aircraft has been buzzing New Jersey, causing terror among residents.
There are differing theories about the drones’ origins, with some assuming foreign opponents launched them.
On Friday, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby claimed there was nothing to be concerned about and that people may be hallucinating things. He anticipated that the majority of reports would mistake human aircraft for drones.
Since then, at least 12 counties in New Jersey, as well as parts of eastern Pennsylvania and upstate New York, have reported seeing drones.
