LOS ANGELES — A military jet and helicopter swooped alongside a small plane Saturday and escorted it away from a temporary restricted flight zone above Florida’s eastern coast, where President Barack Obama was spending the holiday weekend with friends, officials said.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Mike Humphreys said an F-16 jet and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter intercepted the plane just before noon and forced it to land a few minutes later at Witham Field in Stuart, Fla.
Federal Aviation Administration officials said in a statement that they’re investigating whether the Cessna 152 entered the restricted area above Florida’s Treasure Coast. No other information about the Cessna was immediately released.
A description of temporary flight restrictions posted on the FAA’s website said the section of Florida airspace will be closed until Monday for “VIP Movement.”