Why Did Military Planes and Helicopters Circle Manhattan Without Warning This Afternoon? NYPD Says It Doesn’t Know

In a rare sight (rare as in, it never really happens unless something bad is going down), low-flying military aircraft were spotted circling Manhattan this afternoon without advance notice, and NYPD claimed they didn’t know why.

I can’t be the only person who just saw a low flying plane make a sharp right turn over Queens back to manhattan

— Emily (@WhatLikeItsHard) December 13, 2016

We are watching a C-138 military plane circle over Manhattan. pic.twitter.com/VEhpdySA82

— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) December 13, 2016

(Ulanoff is the Chief Correspondent and Editor-at-Large of Mashable.)

Seeing multiple reports of a USAF C-130 and several Black Hawk helicopters circling low (3,000 feet) over Manhattan.

No, that is not normal pic.twitter.com/DaFByrAX3O
— Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) December 13, 2016

USAF aircraft callsign “KING” listed as “SAR (search and rescue) aircraft not on mission.”

So very strange. https://t.co/y2Jl5lSQAz
— Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) December 13, 2016

The C-130 belongs to the 102nd Rescue Squadron of the New York Air National Guard.

Not normal activity, but it has already departed NYC. https://t.co/y2Jl5lSQAz

— Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) December 13, 2016

This plane that’s been circling over manhattan is starting to freak me out. pic.twitter.com/L1EcBYOgpr

— jon rubino (@OkFineItsMe) December 13, 2016

@OkFineItsMe and now some helicopters circling also. Wtf

— jon rubino (@OkFineItsMe) December 13, 2016

@OkFineItsMe just saw it too pic.twitter.com/VdZhi15uwM

— Maииy Mo (@718bk) December 13, 2016

Apparently these craft did a lot of laps:

@OkFineItsMe lap number 8

— ? (@UseCommon) December 13, 2016

And no advance notice:

Almost all flyovers, military, commercial, or otherwise, have a lot of advance notice from @NotifyNYC.

This one did not. https://t.co/hjFuofxe2B

— Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) December 13, 2016

When Deputy News Director at BuzzFeed Tom Namako asked the NYPD about it, they said they didn’t know why military aircraft were circling Manhattan.

The @NYPDnews just told @BuzzFeedNews they don’t know why this plane is circling Manhattan. https://t.co/MHL4wktbCH

— Tom Namako (@TomNamako) December 13, 2016

hearing that the NYPD doesn’t know why there’s a plane circling Manhattan is not exactly relaxing

— Nina Sabak (@ninasabak) December 13, 2016

After enough startled people raised enough questions, the FAA put out a one-line “non-statement” saying the flights were authorized:

And here’s the statement from the FAA pic.twitter.com/yYbFYU5cEY

— Mary Georgantopoulos (@marygeorgant) December 13, 2016

What do you really think was going on? Seems like a strange time for a drill… and no one has admitted it was a drill (which NYPD would surely be notified of), just that the flights were “authorized”.

@marygeorgant But why? We are usually notified of approved flyovers.

— Amazed in Brooklyn (@Brooklynwatch) December 13, 2016

@marygeorgant i thought they told Emergency agencies in nyc way ahead of time

— Lanna (@Lannatexasgal) December 13, 2016

@marygeorgant @BuzzFeedNews funny how I don’t believe that

— Joyce (@emmef) December 13, 2016

Apparently everyone including the NYPD is on a “need-to-know” basis with this, and it has been determined that most of us do not need to know.

(H/T: Mediaite)