WASHINGTON: United States (US) President Donald Trump’s plane Air Force One nearly missed a hit from a drone-like object as it prepared to land in Maryland with the president, First Lady Melania and Barron Trump onboard over the weekend.
The reports have emerged after the White House Correspondent of the AFP took to Twitter to divulge information on the incident.
@realDonaldTrump just landed at Andrews on AF1. Shortly before, while descending,we flew right over a small object, remarkably close to the president’s plane. Resembled a drone though I’m no expert. pic.twitter.com/roDFgpp4XH
— Sebastian Smith (@SebastianAFP) August 16, 2020
“@realDonaldTrump just landed at Andrews on AF1. Shortly before, while descending, we flew right over a small object, remarkably close to the president’s plane. Resembled a drone though I’m no expert,’ Smith wrote.
The device, which was yellow and black and shaped like a cross, was off the right side of the plane. It was seen by several passengers on the jet, shortly before it touched down at 5:54 p.m. at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, a Bloomberg report said.
The White House military officials have launched an investigation into the incident.
In a joint statement, the White House Military Office and the Air Force’s 89th Airlift Wing said that they were ‘aware of the report’.
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‘The matter is under review,’ officials said in the statement.
According to a report quoting aviation experts, a typical civilian drone only weighs a few pounds and isn’t likely to take down a jet rather than the worst damage from a bird, which could shatter a cockpit windshield or damage an engine.
