US Marines Verify Drone Sightings in Camp Pendleton Airspace, California

December 18, 2024 TruthUSA

Officials confirmed that six drones were spotted flying over the Marine Corps base near San Diego between Dec. 9 and Dec. 15.

According to U.S. Marine Corps officials, six drones were detected in the restricted airspace over Camp Pendleton, California, located approximately 40 miles north of San Diego, during the period from Dec. 9 to Dec. 15, as confirmed by the base’s spokesperson.

Capt. James Sartain remarked to The Epoch Times via email on Wednesday that the unmanned aerial vehicles posed “no threat to installation operations and no impact to air and ground operations.”

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton serves as a training facility for the U.S. Department of Defense, supporting the Marine Corps, Army, Navy, as well as various national, state, and local agencies. However, no specific details regarding the drones were disclosed.

“Force protection considerations limit our ability to share further information to maintain the operational security of the installation and ensure the safety and welfare of the base population and surrounding areas,” Sartain explained.

Camp Pendleton includes restricted airspace that is activated during military training exercises.

Recent drone activity in California, New Jersey, and several other states has garnered public attention.

On Dec. 9, federal agents arrested a Chinese national suspected of operating a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The individual reportedly controlled the drone from a nearby park on Nov. 30, capturing images of SpaceX launch pads and various areas of the base.

The suspect, Yinpiao Zhou, 39, a Chinese citizen residing in Brentwood, California, was apprehended by federal authorities just before boarding a flight to China last week.

Federal agents claimed that Zhou flew the drone over the base for about an hour, photographing sensitive locations. They also asserted that his phone contained messages and search history pertinent to the Space Force base.

Despite this, national security officials maintain that the drones do not pose a risk to the public.

“After a thorough review of technical data and tips from vigilant citizens, we conclude that the sightings reported thus far comprise a mix of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, law enforcement drones, in addition to manned aircraft, helicopters, and even stars mistaken for drones,” stated a joint declaration from the Pentagon, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and Federal Aviation Administration on Dec. 16.

On Tuesday, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) informed reporters that he had received intelligence from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson indicating that drones had been “reported over military sites and military bases,” although further specifics were not provided.

Source link