Louisiana governor on drones near critical infrastructure: 'The federal government has stonewalled us'
Southern state is among the latest locations where suspicious drones have been in no-fly zones.
While the issue of mystery drones in New Jersey has seemed to pass, a similar matter in Louisiana has raised the ire of state Governor Jeff Landry.
When it comes to 'mystery drones' in the Bayou State, he's ready to take them down.
The sightings began on Christmas Eve in West Feliciana parish. On December 24, law enforcement authorities received reports of objects "as large as five feet in diameter" flying in "areas near critical infrastructure."
Entergy has confirmed that drones have been sighted at the company's River Bend Station nuclear power site in the parish.
Eyewitnesses have reported seeing multiple objects flying simultaneously, indicating that the flights may have been coordinated.
“At this time, we have no reason to believe these sightings pose a threat to public safety; however, it’s very concerning and we’re treating this as a criminal violation since they’ve been spotted over areas where drone flight is prohibited,” said West Feliciana Parish Brian Spillman.
The sightings continued through the first two weeks of the new year, and Sheriff Spillman said his office is working closely with local, state, and federal partners to identify the source and responsible party.
“If these reports are accurate, these are not Christmas toys being operated by a hobbyist,” said Spillman. “We’ve deployed technology to help us locate and track the activity, and we’re actively seeking additional resources to help reveal the identity of the devices and their operators.”
According to the sheriff, eyewitnesses, including his patrol deputies, have observed the flying objects at altitudes as low as 200 feet and up to over 500 feet. The suspected drones tend to hover over certain areas for extended periods and then disappear into the night. All reports to date have been at night.
Spillman said he is treating this as a threat to local critical infrastructure and has spoken with Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill about using all available state and national resources to defend West Feliciana from any possible threats to public safety.
Gov. Landry was taking a hard-line stance on the mystery drone issue.
"We have worked to procure both detection and mitigation on these drones and have been stonewalled by the federal government," the governor said. "In fact, it is my appreciation that even the FBI is unable to mitigate drone threats in this country. We need answers now, and I intend to do everything in my power to get them."