The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reopened the airspace over El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday morning, ending a brief but disruptive closure that grounded flights and sparked confusion, according to reports from the Associated Press and BBC News.
The closure, initially announced as a 10-day restriction, stemmed from a complex situation involving U.S. Military exercises and concerns over the employ of drones by Mexican cartels. A Trump administration official, speaking after the airspace reopened, stated that the action was taken to “disable the drones” being used by cartels, as reported by the BBC.
Still, CBS News, a news partner of the BBC, reported that the closure followed a test earlier in the week where a high-energy laser was used to intercept what was initially believed to be a foreign drone. The object was later identified as a party balloon. This test, conducted by the Department of Defense, was intended to practice taking down drones near a military base adjacent to the El Paso airport.
According to CBS News and the AP, the Pentagon had planned to test the modern military technology, but wanted to proceed before scheduled safety meetings with the FAA. This prompted the FAA, responsible for airspace safety, to halt flights. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later posted on X, stating that the FAA had collaborated with the Pentagon to “address a cartel drone incursion” and that restrictions had been lifted.
The sudden closure caused “chaos and confusion,” according to El Paso’s mayor, who spoke to the BBC. U.S. Representatives Veronica Escobar and Tony Gonzales learned of the closure hours after the FAA implemented it, the AP reported.
The events unfolded against a backdrop of ongoing investigations into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. A man detained in connection with the investigation has been released, according to reports from YouTube news clips. Investigators are currently examining surveillance video of a subject near Guthrie’s home around the time of her abduction. Images of an armed man on Guthrie’s porch are also being analyzed.
Separately, actor James Van Der Beek died at the age of 48, NBC News reported.
