A military plane circled low over Manhattan for several minutes on Wednesday afternoon, and initially, nobody seemed to know why.
Here is a summary of some of the reports about it:
According to Buzzfeed deputy news director Tom Namako, the NYPD could not account for the military aircraft flying low over the city.
The @NYPDnews just told @BuzzFeedNews they don't know why this plane is circling Manhattan. https://t.co/MHL4wktbCH
— Tom Namako (@TomNamako) December 13, 2016
A video of the plane that's been circling Manhattan pic.twitter.com/Bsj5ANEeW1
— Alp Ozcelik (@alplicable) December 13, 2016
Huffington Post social media editor Ethan Klapper has identified the aircraft as an HC-130N, which belongs to the New York National Guard.
88-2102, the HC-130N over Manhattan, belongs to the New York Air National Guard https://t.co/fJZnbP2KWC
— Ethan Klapper (@ethanklapper) December 13, 2016
And here’s some further clarification from aviation expert Jason Rabinowitz:
The C-130 belongs to the 102nd Rescue Squadron of the New York Air National Guard.
Not normal activity, but it has already departed NYC. https://t.co/y2Jl5lSQAz
— Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) December 13, 2016
People were perplexed as the aircraft circled the sky:
Why is that plane circling Manhattan
— Claire Lenz (@clairelenz) December 13, 2016
hearing that the NYPD doesn't know why there's a plane circling Manhattan is not exactly relaxing
— Nina Sabak (@ninasabak) December 13, 2016
A military plane is circling Manhattan.. Makes me extremely uneasy…
— Jem ☁️?☁️ (@JustJem24) December 13, 2016
Military plane circling Manhattan. WTF ?
— Joanne freedman (@nycjoanne2016) December 13, 2016
Went to an office window not expecting anything but just saw the plane that's circling low over Manhattan, which I don't love…..
— LoreenaMcKennittVEVO (@robertbalkovich) December 13, 2016
That's a weird plane over Manhattan
— Matthew Ogle (@flaneur) December 13, 2016
I can't be the only person who just saw a low flying plane make a sharp right turn over Queens back to manhattan
— Emily (@WhatLikeItsHard) December 13, 2016
This plane that's been circling over manhattan is starting to freak me out. pic.twitter.com/L1EcBYOgpr
— jon rubino (@OkFineItsMe) December 13, 2016
I'm feeling kind of uneasy about this little plane that's circling above manhattan right now…
— Sarah Newman (@SarahAlexis4) December 13, 2016
Giant military plane circling (and circling) midtown Manhattan right now. Not weird at all, right? Yeah?
— Laura Motta (@guttersniper) December 13, 2016
There's a plane circling above Manhattan. What's going on?
— Raymond Wong ??? (@raywongy) December 13, 2016
UPDATE 5:40 p.m. ET — The flight was apparently approved by the FAA:
Military C-130 plane above Manhattan is an authorized flight in coordination with air traffic control, per FAA
— Steve Kopack (@SteveKopack) December 13, 2016
Air Force Col. Nicholas Broccoli said that the flight was “standard military exercise,” according to Washington Post reporter Thomas Gibbons-Neff.
Col. Broccoli, CO of the 106th Rescue Wing says the C130 circling Manhattan is doing "standard military training."
— Thomas Gibbons-Neff (@Tmgneff) December 13, 2016
And here is another video of the plane as it circled over Manhattan.
@AlexJamesFitz @AirlineFlyer Here's some video I captured. pic.twitter.com/Oz2Qtcvb0P
— Darth Spader (@mrspader) December 13, 2016
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