The United States federal government has issued a stark warning that it may authorise the use of deadly force against any aircraft that breaches the airspace of El Paso International Airport in Texas. This extraordinary measure follows the mysterious and sudden closure of the airport for a period of ten days, with officials citing only vague 'special security reasons' for the shutdown.
Sudden Closure and Official Warning
At 11:30pm Central Time on Tuesday evening, El Paso Airport was abruptly closed to all air traffic. The closure was formally announced through an official government NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions), which explicitly stated: 'The United States government may use deadly force against the airborne aircraft, if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat.' This directive has raised significant concerns and questions about the nature of the security threat prompting such a severe response.
Confusion and Lack of Clarity
Confusion reigned among airlines and travellers late into the night and early the following morning, as many flight schedules continued to show departures from El Paso Airport as being on time, despite the official closure. When contacted by The New York Times, a worker at the Federal Aviation Administration's special operations centre could only say, 'Sorry, I don't have a clear answer,' when asked to explain the reasons behind the airport's shutdown. Similarly, an airport employee confirmed to The Times that the airspace had been sealed off at very short notice, adding to the air of mystery surrounding the incident.
Implications and Ongoing Developments
The authorisation of deadly force in this context is an extreme and rare measure, typically reserved for situations involving imminent threats to national security. The lack of detailed information from government agencies has fuelled speculation and concern among aviation experts and the public alike. As this remains a developing story, further updates are expected to shed light on the specific security issues that led to the prolonged closure and the drastic warning issued to potential airspace violators.
