Camp Mystic Video shows the devastation left behind by floods in Texas
Video mystics inside the camp show the devastation left behind by the floods in Texas.
Emergency responders in Texas are warning them to ground their private drones during an ongoing search and recovery mission after colliding with a helicopter during rescue operations.
The drone, which operates illegally in restricted airspace, hit a helicopter involved in an emergency business on July 7, Carr County officials said. The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing and, according to the county, it has not completed service “until further notice.” No injuries have been reported.
“This was completely preventable,” the city of Kerrville said in a statement. “When you fly a drone in a restricted area, you don’t just break the law. You take serious risks and put your first responders, emergency crews and the public.”
After the helicopter landed, Kellville police said several other private drones were found flying overhead, exacerbating the “dangerous situation.” Some of the things that were found to be flying illegally were “media manipulation.” The device was disrupting official search and rescue drones, the department said in a Facebook post that it urged people to “have their first responders do their job.”
“We know people want to volunteer, but what we’re starting to see is that individual drones are flying,” Carville city manager Dalton Rice said at a July 7 press conference. “The flying of these personal drones is dangerous to the aircraft, which puts further operations at risk.”
Federal Airlines hospitalization issued temporary flight restrictions for areas that affected flooding in Texas Hill Country until July 13, closing airspace to illicit aircraft from Hunt, Texas to Lake Canyon, Texas, with first responders working.
In some areas, emergency officials are using drones to flush the Guadalupe River and seeking signs of life. The Texas Airlines National Guard deployed a massive MQ-9 drone on June 6, collecting high-resolution images and assessing the impact of flooding in Texas’ Hill Country.
Williamson County, Texas, said it uses drones as part of its search and rescue operation.
Rescue and recovery efforts for victims of the devastating Texas floods extended on their fifth day on July 8th.
The flood began early in the morning on July 4th. Texas Lt. Colonel Dan Patrick said as heavy rains skyrocketed the Guadalupe River over 25 feet in an hour. Survivors were found to be standing on the roof, clinging to a tree.
“It won’t stop until all the missing people are found,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Contribution: Johnine Santucci
