Coast Guard helicopters intercepted a small aircraft that entered restricted air space near the US capital on Saturday, military officials said. The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) said it ordered the action after the "small general aviation aircraft" approached the capital region without authorisation at about 11:50 am (1550 GMT).
"Upon being intercepted, the civilian aircraft was diverted to Annapolis (in Maryland) where the pilot was to meet with local law enforcement," NORAD said in a statement. It did not provide further details on the pilot, the aircraft, its destination or the precise location of the incident.
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner were playing golf at the time at Andrews Air Force base five miles (eight kilometers) south-east of Washington. It was the third time in a week that NORAD had to scramble jets or choppers to steer away civilian planes that strayed into restricted air space in the vicinity of the president.
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