16 Unconfirmed Reports Of Drones Over Long Island On Thursday: Police
LONG ISLAND, NY — The Suffolk County Police Department received 16 unconfirmed reports of drone sightings in the jurisdiction on Thursday, a spokeswoman said Friday afternoon.
Residents across Long Island reported, through social media posts, about unconfirmed reports of seeing the objects in the sky in the evening.
The reports came the same day as residents reportedly also had unconfirmed sightings in New York City and Connecticut, though police could not say if they are related.
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Suffolk police did not give the locations or a time frame for when the drones were sighted on the county, or if they were confirmed.
There is no way to tell if the number of sightings was more than normal because a spokeswoman says the department does not keep track of them.
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It is not clear if any of the sightings are under investigation.
A spokeswoman from the department’s press office said that staffers there did not have anything further to release about the reports.
Patch has reached out to Nassau County police about unconfirmed reports on social media in its jurisdiction.
The New York Times has reported that Gov. Kathy Hochul has launched investigation into the New York sightings.
Social media users took to platforms Thursday night and Friday morning to report sightings, though some posts were clearly in jest, containing photographs of airplanes and helicopters.
Others posted comical memes about the scenario.
At least one drone enthusiast posted that it is possible others like him have been taking advantage of the clear skies.
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Drone sightings have become somewhat of a phenomenon in recent weeks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
And like, Long Island there is still is no explanation for the uptick, whether they are nefarious in nature, prompted by good weather, or just that residents are more focused on seeing them than usual due to the reports coming out of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Morris County in New Jersey has been a hotspot for drone sightings since they first started appearing around Nov. 18. But almost four weeks later, state and federal officials have shared little about the origin or purpose of the nighttime visitors.
State police have reports of between four and 180 sightings per night, according to officials.
Drones were also spotted throughout the greater Philadelphia area on Thursday, perhaps the most widespread night yet of the unexplained sightings of aerial objects in the local area.
There had only been scattered and intermittent reports around Philadelphia and the five county suburban area until Thursday night.
Additional reporting by Michelle Rotuno-Johnson, Justin Heinze, and Al Branch.
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