Tensions are escalating among Coast Guardsmen stationed in Barnegat Light, New Jersey, following the Biden administration’s dismissal of a mysterious swarm of drones tailing a U.S. Coast Guard rescue vessel earlier this month.
What started as a routine patrol turned into a puzzling and unsettling encounter, with many service members demanding explanations and respect from Washington.
Speaking anonymously to The New York Post, one Coast Guardsman voiced frustration over the administration’s flippant response to their reports.
“It’s the implication that’s insulting,” the Guardsman said. “It’s implying we’re making sh-t up, when the ones making up sh-t are down in Washington, D.C.”
Details of the Incident
The alleged encounter involved a swarm of 12 to 30 drones shadowing a 47-foot rescue vessel during a night patrol over the Atlantic. The drones reportedly appeared suddenly around 9 p.m., maintaining pace with the vessel traveling at 20 knots and exhibiting advanced maneuverability.
“They were about 80 to 100 feet above us,” the Guardsman described. “They had four propellers and were around seven feet across, with flashing green, red, and white lights. Commercial airplanes don’t move like that. We know what drones look and sound like.”
Despite these firsthand accounts, federal officials dismissed the reports.
Federal Response
White House spokesman John Kirby suggested the sightings were likely misidentified manned aircraft or natural phenomena such as stars.
“Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings include lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, law enforcement drones, manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” Kirby stated. “We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to present a national security or public safety risk.”
Congressional Concern
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) raised alarms over the incident, particularly concerning unidentified drones near U.S. military installations, which he suggested could be adversarial, possibly of Chinese origin.
“If we have drones flying around military bases and we can’t identify where they came from or who’s responsible, that’s a concern,” McCaul said. “By definition, I would say they’re adversarial. I believe they’re spy drones. The PRC is very good at this stuff, and it’s consistent with their recent policies.”
Connection to Radioactive Material?
Adding to the intrigue, Belleville Mayor Michael Melham (R) suggested the drones might be linked to missing radioactive material in New Jersey.
“There’s an alert right now about missing radioactive material in New Jersey,” Melham explained. “On December 2nd, a shipment arrived damaged and empty. So potentially, the drones could be tied to that.”
As the mystery deepens, many in the Coast Guard and beyond are calling for serious investigations into the incidents, alongside greater accountability from the administration.
