US Homeland Security Secretary: Flight Halt Caused by Telecom Outage, Not a Terror Attack

US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the decision to halt all flights across the country was linked to a telecommunications network failure rather than a terrorist threat. He made the remarks to reporters, and the broadcaster Fox News published his comments. The situation prompted concern over whether an attack similar to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks had taken place, and the secretary sought to dispel those fears.

What happened

According to Mullin, the fault affected the entire Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the agency that oversees air traffic in the United States. Flights were suspended for safety reasons. For international arrivals and aircraft already in the air, decisions will be made case by case, and a landing order will be set once they begin to arrive.

The secretary stressed that there were no early warning signs and that there is currently no indication of a criminal attack. He said the public has no reason to be afraid or to worry about loved ones who are flying. By his account, the department is receiving many questions about a possible terrorist act, but he rejected both that and the presence of any threat.

At the same time, Mullin acknowledged that the causes are still being determined. Given how often cyberattacks occur, he said, such a possibility should always be considered, but there is no precise information at this moment. He also assured that the halt in flights is unrelated to the recent Microsoft outage.

Earlier developments

On November 13, the United States suspended departures of all flights, citing extraordinary circumstances and safety considerations. The FAA clarified that departures were halted at all airports nationwide because the failure affected several en-route air traffic control centers at once. According to Reuters, this is the second time since the September 11, 2001 attacks that all departures across the US have been fully suspended.