Coast guardsmen from Barnegat Light, New Jersey, are voicing frustration after federal officials dismissed their accounts of being followed by a fleet of drones while patrolling the Atlantic Ocean earlier this month.
A Coast guard member, speaking anonymously, shared his disbelief, stating, “It’s the implication that’s insulting.”
“It’s implying we’re making things up, when the ones making up things are down in Washington, DC.”
The sailor’s comments came shortly after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed temporary flight restrictions over parts of New Jersey and New York. He was among 12 crew members aboard the 47-foot rescue vessel that encountered the drones on the evening of the sighting.
“We were actually out there to see if we could spot any drones, because of all these sightings,” the sailor explained. “Well, we found some drones. Or more accurately, they found us.”
According to the sailor, the drones appeared suddenly around 9 pm and followed the vessel for about 15 minutes. The drone swarm mirrored the boat’s movements, shifting direction as the boat did. “They had four propellers, about seven feet across, with festive red, green, and white flashing lights,” he said. The drones flew at an estimated 80 to 100 feet above the vessel.
The swarm kept pace with the Department of Homeland Security boat, which was travelling at around 20 knots (just over 20 miles per hour). The drones eventually ascended, climbing an additional 100 feet before veering left towards the shoreline and disappearing from sight.
The sailor is adamant that these were no ordinary commercial drones. “Commercial airplanes don’t move like that. We know what drones look and sound like,” he said.
However, White House spokesman John Kirby downplayed the Coast Guard’s account, suggesting the drones could have been a mix of commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones, as well as aircraft and even stars mistakenly identified as drones. Kirby stated that the sightings presented no national security or public safety threat, and suggested that the Coast Guard might have confused incoming airliners with drones.
The Coast Guardsman disagreed, saying, “I can’t pretend to know what’s going on, but those weren’t the types of drones you can buy at the store. These were government drones.”
The sailor added, “I don’t care what Kirby or [DHS head Alejandro] Mayorkas say — they’re full of sh-t.” He stressed that while their orders were to observe and not engage with the drones, they would have taken defensive action if the drones had acted aggressively.
Local officials, including Representatives Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, have criticised the federal response, demanding a clear explanation for the mysterious drone activity, the New York Post quoted.
Since November 18, more than 1,000 drone sightings have been reported over New Jersey, with dozens more in New York’s airspace, raising growing concerns over the presence of drones in civilian airspace. Federal authorities, however, maintain that the sightings pose no security threat.

Winter — and the weekend before Christmas — kicked off in New Jersey with residents across a wide swath of the region waking up Saturday morning to find snow on the ground.

And frigid temperatures are next.

An overnight storm coated the region from North Jersey to the Philadelphia metro area with anywhere from an inch to 5 1/2 inches of snow as the first day of the winter season arrived — and as people continue traveling for the holidays. There was snow in 13 counties in the Garden State.

Lingering flurries are possible across the eastern part of the state, though light snow is expected to taper off everywhere in the morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Meanwhile, an arctic air mass is forecast to bring “brisk and cold conditions” across the region the rest of the weekend, the weather service said.

High temperatures are expected to range from the 20s north of Interstate 78 to the low 30s south of the highway, while lows will fall into the teens, according to forecasters. There will also be blustery conditions in the afternoon, with wind gusts between 15 and 35 miles per hour.

Temperatures in New Jersey in late December normally reach the low 40s during the day and around 30 degrees overnight.

The snow and cold could cause slippery road conditions, though it’s more likely snow accumulated on grass, according to AccuWeather. The cold temperatures also mean the snow could stick around as Christmas and Hanukkah begin arrive this week.

Looking ahead, next week is also expected to be cold, with highs stuck in the 30s, according to forecasts. There is also a chance for light snow Tuesday morning — Christmas Eve — especially in North Jersey. Christmas is expected to be sunny and seasonable Wednesday.

Although it’s not an official weather term, the National Weather Service defines a white Christmas as having just 1 inch or more of snow on the ground on the morning of Dec. 25 — either fresh snow or lingering snow from a previous storm.

Current weather radar

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Len Melisurgo contributed to this report.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X at @johnsb01.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — Party City issued mass layoffs at its New Jersey headquarters, according to an email sent to employees. 

All 850 Party City stores will be closing soon after nearly 40 years in business, according to CNN. 

“I think it’s a shame because I grew up going to Party City as a child and it’s somewhere I used to look forward to for parties,” said Stephanie Campos, of New York City. 

Campos was buying balloons at the Party City on West 14th Street in Greenwich Village when she heard about the chain’s reported closures. 

“I’m thankful for the memories they gave me,” Campos said.

New Jersey Party City employees laid off in mass email

Corporate employees at Party City’s headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey received an email Friday saying it was their last day after the company made the decision to conduct mass layoffs.   

The company recently came out of bankruptcy, but has faced tough competition from online retailers. 

“The convenience, especially in a city like New York, the convenience of ordering what you need, having delivered,” said Jared Barnett.   

Barnett wanted to visit his neighborhood store one more time for a final farewell. 

“I came to say goodbye. A lot of memories, you know, from growing up to planning socials at my fraternity. So just to come back one more time,” he said. 

Customers at the West 14th Street Party City said employees told them the location is closing by March 31. Merchandise is marked down in the meantime. 

Party City did not respond to our request for comment.