'They found us': Coast guard crew in New Jersey reports mysterious drones, alleges White House cover up – Times of India

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.