Biden evacuated after plane entered airspace near beach home in Delaware

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. — A small private airplane mistakenly entered restricted airspace near President Joe Biden’s Delaware vacation home Saturday, prompting the brief evacuation of the president and first lady, the White House and the Secret Service said.

The White House said there was no threat to Mr. Biden or his family and that precautionary measures were taken. After the situation was assessed, Mr. Biden and his wife, Jill, returned to their Rehoboth Beach home.

The plane “mistakenly” entered restricted airspace shortly before 1 p.m. local time Saturday afternoon and was “immediately escorted out,” according to Secret Service spokesman Anthony Gugliemi. The agency will interview the pilot, who was not on the proper radio channel and did not follow a filed Notice to Airmen as well as published flight guidance, Mr. Gugliemi said, citing a preliminary investigation.

The Federal Aviation Administration earlier this week established a no-fly zone with a 10-mile radius and a 30-mile restricted area around Rehoboth Beach, a routine security measure taken when the president travels outside Washington.

Mr. Gugliemi did not specify other precautionary measures taken in response to the incident. The roar of jet engines could be heard in the area, and the main street in Rehoboth Beach was temporarily closed around 1 p.m. CBS News reported that Mr. Biden was seen in a motorcade vehicle driving to a Rehobothbeach fire station.

U.S. military jets and Coast Guard helicopters are often used to intercept any planes that violate the flight restrictions around the president.

The president and first lady arrived at the beach Thursday night ahead of Jill Biden’s birthday Friday and are expected to depart Sunday.