2 men arrested in Boston for allegedly flying a drone near the airport : NPR

In this image made from video, officials remove a small plane that landed at Logan International Airport after having only one of its landing wheels deploy, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Boston.

Rodrique Ngowi/AP

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Rodrique Ngowi/AP

Two men were arrested in Boston on Saturday for allegedly operating a drone “dangerously close” to Logan International Airport, police said.

In a statement, the Boston Police Department said one of its officers specializing in surveillance saw there was an Unmanned Aircraft System flying near Logan International Airport.

The officer was able to track its altitude, flight history, location and the operators’ location, which was a former health center on Long Island, part of the Boston Harbor Islands.

Robert Duffy, 42, and Jeremy Folcik, 32, both of Massachusetts, were arrested that night and charged with trespassing, police said. Authorities said they are seeking a third suspect. Duffy and Folcik could face additional charges as the police continue their investigation.

They’re working with Homeland Security, state police, the Federal Communications Commission, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the airport’s air traffic control team on the investigation.

Drones can cause damage to aircraft and make pilots deviate from their course if they get too close, “putting lives and property at risk,” police said.

The arrests come as a number of drone sightings have been reported across the East Coast, including in New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Though, federal authorities have said those sightings do not pose a security threat.

Boston police did not make a connection between the arrests and the reported sightings along the East Coast.