The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued a nationwide ground stop for all departing flights this evening, citing ‘extraordinary circumstances and reasons for safety’.
In a press conference, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said all flights were accounted for and there was no reason for the public to be afraid. Mullin added there was no indication the disruption was a deliberate attack, describing it as a telecommunications outage.
Flights already in the air may land, but aircraft on the ground cannot take off and international flights will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
The order followed an earlier halt to traffic in Chicago because of communications problems.
Today’s action marked the second nationwide ground stop of all departures since the September 11, 2001, attacks. (Reuters)