ISTANBUL

A drone flying close to Florida's Palm Beach International Airport briefly halted operations and prompted a security response on Sunday as Air Force One was set to depart with US President Donald Trump on board, US media reported.

The incident triggered an immediate ground stop and the deployment of helicopters to secure the surrounding airspace, said aviation news outlet The Bulkhead Seat.

A pilot on a Delta Air Lines flight told passengers about the situation in real time, explaining that a drone had come too close during the presidential departure and that authorities were responding.

The US Secret Service, however, pushed back on the account, telling Anadolu there was no airspace violation at the airport. Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the helicopter referenced in reports was authorized for that specific area and was unrelated to any drone or temporary flight restriction violation.

“At no point was there any risk to AF1 or the President’s safety,” he said, referring to the official presidential plane.

Air Force One departed safely and without incident, according to the aviation news outlet. The ground stop was lifted shortly afterward and airport operations returned to normal.

Neither the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) nor the Secret Service has issued a broader official statement on the incident.

Trump often spends weekends and extended periods at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. This February, an armed man who entered the perimeter of the resort was shot and killed by Secret Service agents and local police. Trump was in Washington at the time.