What’s with the low-hovering aircraft over Idaho Falls?
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UPDATE:
Lt. Col. Christopher Borders of the Idaho Army National Guard reached out to EastIdahoNews.com this morning. At least some of the helicopters are from the 160th SOAR out of Washington, he said. This confirms what several of our readers told us.
Gary Dangerfield from the Public Relations Department at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington confirmed the Chinook helicopters are from JBLM. They are currently training near Mountain Home and “may be doing some extended flying,” he said. Dangerfield couldn’t confirm if the other aircraft were from JBLM.
We will continue to update this story as we receive more information.
ORIGINAL STORY:
IDAHO FALLS — What in the world is in the sky?
EastIdahoNews.com has received multiple reports and witnessed aircraft flying low and hovering over residential areas in Idaho Falls Tuesday. Some tipsters identified military-type helicopters and one Facebook commenter said he saw “two Chinooks, escorted by four MH-6 Little Birds.” The same person said the planes were flying “maybe 60 feet off the ground.”
So far, most authorities have been close-lipped. A spokesman for the city of Idaho Falls had no comment.
The Idaho Army National Guard was able to offer some insight.
“I can tell you they aren’t ours, ” Lt. Col. Christopher Borders of Idaho National Guard Public Affairs told EastIdahoNews.com. The Army National Guard, he said, does not currently have any Blackhawk or Chinook helicopters operating in the Idaho Falls area. He said the aircraft could be here for any number of reasons.
Witnesses spotted at least two Blackhawk helicopters at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport Tuesday afternoon. Another tipster sent EastIdahoNews.com pictures of other aircraft, and several military personnel were spotted entering a hangar near the airport.
Mysterious objects appeared in eastern Idaho skies last month, too. Multiple beams of ghostly white light lit up the sky in Idaho Falls with some wondering if aliens were paying a visit to the Gem State. Turns out the beams were an optical phenomenon called “ice pillars.”
RELATED | What were those beams of light in the sky in Idaho Falls Wednesday night?
Have you spotted the aircraft this week? Can you help solve the mystery in the sky? Send us your tips to news@eastidahonews.com. You can remain anonymous.