FAA apologizes for not informing Capitol Police about the plane that caused the evacuation

The Federal Aviation Administration admitted on Friday that it did not notify US Capitol Police about a parachute protest at a nearby baseball stadium that prompted a frenzied evacuation of the Capitol complex on Wednesday night.

The FAA said its initial assessment found that it failed to notify Capitol Police in advance of planned events for the evening.

The FAA said in a statement: “We deeply regret that we contributed to the evacuation of the Capitol complex and apologize for the disruption and fear experienced by those working there. there”.

The apology came two days after the Capitol was evacuated shortly before the military’s Golden Knights parachuted into the stadium where Washington National players played for Army Appreciation Night. The National Park is about 1 mile from the Capitol.

Capitol Police initially calling for an evacuation, in an email to Capitol staff said: “USCP is tracking an aircraft that poses a possible threat to the Capitol Complex.”

In a later statement, police said: “The Capitol was evacuated out of an abundance of caution this evening. There is no threat at the Capitol.”

Law enforcement later called the lack of coordination “extremely unusual,” saying on Thursday that it is often made aware of hundreds of flights allowed in “restricted airspace” each week.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, sharply criticized the FAA on Wednesday night.

“The needless panic caused by this apparent negligence is particularly harmful to Organization Members, employees and employees who are still grappling with the trauma of the attack on their workplace on… January 6,” she said at the time.

The FAA on Friday said it is taking “immediate steps” to ensure coordination with other agencies to avoid confusion during future aviation events in the Washington, DC area.

The agency did not specify what those steps would look like or whether there will be any disciplinary action stemming from Wednesday’s chaos.

NBC News has reached out to the FAA for comment.

Jay Blackman contribute.

at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here