Air Force One photo shoot triggers panic in Manhattan
April 27, 2009
A photo shoot involving a 747 used as Air Force One and two fighter jets flying at low altitude led to hundreds of frightened calls from residents and workers in Lower Manhattan Monday morning, triggering memories of 9-11 as many evacuated their offices. Although the shoot was authorized, the normal system of public notification broke down, multiple officials said.
“It scared a couple of million people,” one airport official said. Witnesses told ABCNews.com that they were “shocked” and “running scared” when the planes flew overhead. Elena Zaccario, who works at an office building near Battery Park, said she was too startled to grab her camera until the planes’ third fly-by. “Needless to say, everyone was concerned and upset about not being notified like in previous ‘military fly-overs,”” she said. “Other offices on other floors fled the building in panic. Not acceptable!”
Photo: In this image taken with a cell phone by Jason McLane, the primary presidential aircraft, a Boeing 747 known as Air Force One when the president is aboard, flies low over New York Harbor, followed by an F-16 chase plane during a federal government photo op Monday, April 27, 2009.
