NJ Sheriff Says One of His Officers Saw 50 Drones Coming From Atlantic Ocean

Speculation about the unidentified drones seen hovering at night over parts of New Jersey for the past few reached a fever pitch Wednesday, with one New Jersey congressman saying they’re coming from an Iranian mothership located off the East Coast.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) told Fox News that “very qualified” and “reliable” sources told him that Iran is behind the mystery drones, a claim the Pentagon subsequently denied.

“Here is the real deal, I’m on the Transportation Committee, on the Aviation Subcommittee, and I’ve gotten to know people, the GOP lawmaker told Fox News’ Harris Faulkner.

” And from very high sources, very qualified sources, very responsible sources. I’m going to tell you… Iran launched a mothership probably about a month ago that contains these drones. That mothership is off the east coast of the United States of America,” he added.

“You know that Iran made a deal with China to purchase drones, motherships and technology in order to go forward…” Van Drew continued. “…These drones should be shot down. Whether it was some crazy hobbyist that we can’t imagine, or whether it is Iran – and I think it very possibly could be – they should be shot down. We are not getting the full deal and the military is on alert with this.”

NJ State Senator Douglas Steinhardt said Wednesday that he believes the drones are coming from the Atlantic Ocean.

“The best information that we have available to us to this point suggests that these drones are coming from offshore,” Steinhardt told Fox News. “When we try to make contact with them, they become evasive and elusive.”

Steinhardt also said the drones should be shot down.

“If no one else is saying it, I’ll be the first to say it. If these are not American assets, then we need to get our assets into the air and blow one of these things out of the sky,” he said. “Pick up the pieces and see what we’re dealing with.”

Local authorities told NJ legislators during a briefing Wednesday morning that any interception or takedown of any unmanned aircraft system (UAS) “is under the strict jurisdiction of the federal government.”

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) said Wednesday that the Ocean County sheriff told him last night that one of his officers saw 50 drones emerge from the ocean.

Smith also said a commanding officer from the US Coast Guard told him that one of their 40 foot lifeboats was followed by between 12-30 of these drones.

When asked about Van Drew’s comments during a briefing later Wednesday, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said it wasn’t true.

“There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there’s no so-called ‘mothership’ launching drones toward the United States,” Singh responded curtly.

The mysterious objects were first spotted in the skies of northern and central New Jersey on Nov. 18 and have been sighted almost every night ever since. Unidentified drones were also spotted for the first time hovering over Brooklyn on Monday and Staten Island last Thursday.

Meanwhile, the FBI and Homeland Security, have allegedly been been working together to discover the origins of the mysterious phenomenon.

Despite the joint investigation, the feds have apparently not come to any conclusions after several weeks.

A spokesperson for the FBI said Monday that the agency is “doing all we can to figure out what’s going on.”

“The public can continue to call our 800 line, or submit a tip online, we are acting on every substantive lead that we get,” the FBI spokesperson said.

Speculation about Iran’s involvement in the drone phenomenon has left New Jersey residents and elected officials alarmed and demanding answers.

Van Drew’s claims come as officials and state residents demand answers on the mysterious development, yet major agencies remain puzzled by the ordeal, including the FBI. The agency is investigating the sightings and have urged the public to report any drones they see.

The mayors of 21 NJ  towns sent a letter sent to Governor Phil Murphy (D) earlier this week calling for a full investigation into the drones “to determine the origin, purpose and compliance with applicable regulations.”

New Jersey State Police held a briefing Wednesday for New Jersey State Legislators on the unexplained drone sightings. Murphy was expected to attend the briefing, but reportedly didn’t show up.

Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R) relayed the bullet points from the briefing and her thoughts in a post on X, reposted below in full:

1. We know nothing. PERIOD. To state that there is no known or credible threat is incredibly misleading, and I informed all officials of that sentiment.
2. State authorities, including the NJSP, are shackled with what they are able to do. Any interception or takedown of any UAS is under the strict jurisdiction of the federal government.
3. At this point, I believe military intervention is the only path forward. There will be no answers in the absence of proactivity.
4. The US Coast Guard seems to be the most likely to intervene based upon our briefing, but even that component was shrouded in mystery.

Here is my summary of the briefing :

Overview of the Issue:
First Sightings: Reported on 11/18, with sightings occurring every night since then, from dusk until 11 PM (6–7 hours).
Frequency: Reports range from 4 to 180 sightings per night.

Description:
Large drones (up to 6 ft in diameter).
Operate in a coordinated manner.
Lights are turned off, making them difficult to detect.
Appear to avoid detection by traditional methods
Not identified as hobbyist drones or related to DHS.

Investigation and Response
1. Agencies Involved:
FBI: Designated as the lead agency for investigations.
New Jersey State Police (NJSP): Coordinates with the FBI on follow-ups.
Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP): Provides training and situational awareness.
U.S. Coast Guard: Involved in determining steps under their jurisdiction (details not disclosed).

2. Federal Involvement:
FAA: Made night flights legal in 2023, but require operators to maintain line of sight, which is not being observed in these cases.
Lack of Federal Legislation: Existing bills on drone regulation remain stalled in Congress.

3. Detection Challenges:
NJSP deployed helicopters over Raritan Bay but could not detect drones, even with infrared cameras.
Current radio frequencies do not pick up drone signals.
Col. Callahan expressed concerns about potential danger, leading to a halt in helicopter deployments.

Fantasia later clarified that new infrared technology may soon be deployed that will hopefully be better at detecting the drones.

4. Training and Preparedness:
In-person Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Training starts in Monmouth County in January and will expand statewide.
A UAS Dashboard is being developed for tracking and managing drone sightings.

Key Concerns
Unknown Origins: Authorities do not know where these drones take off or land.
Capabilities: Drones maintain flight for extended periods (6–7 hours) and over distances of 15 miles, raising questions about their technology and intent.

Airspace Regulation:
Most sightings are in unrestricted airspace, but their behavior is unusual and potentially nefarious.
Unlike manned aircraft, these drones appear to operate without lights and evade detection.

Public Safety:
Possible threats remain unconfirmed, but the lack of detection capability is a significant concern.
See Something, Say Something campaigns encourage the public to report sightings to local law enforcement and the FBI.

Statements from Officials:
Laurie Doran (Director of OHSP):
There is no known or credible threat at this time. (I DISAGREE)
Urges continued reporting to law enforcement.

Colonel Pat Callahan (NJSP):
Suspended helicopter flights to investigate drones over safety concerns.
Emphasized the rapid pace of technological development in drones.

Brent Cotton (DHS Counterterrorism): Highlighted challenges in threat prevention and the need for improved technology and protocols.

Next Steps
1. Enhanced Surveillance: Use of infrared cameras and additional Coast Guard resources.
2. Legislation and Policy: Advocate for advancing federal drone legislation stalled in Congress.
3. Public Engagement: Encourage reporting via the See Something, Say Something initiative.

New Jersey State Senator John Bramnick (R) told Fox News that he was even more concerned after the briefing than before. “We know the Department of Defense has the technology to monitor these drones,” he said.

Drone expert and Fox News contributor Brett Velicovich said that whether the drones in New Jersey are part of “some big U.S. government conspiracy” or in fact “adversarial drones flying,” he is more concerned about the federal government’s lack of transparency on what is going on and their lack of interest in alleviating the public concerns.

“All they’re saying is it’s being investigated. That’s unacceptable!” Velicovich exclaimed, adding that local officials need to stop telling reporters there is no known threat unless they really know that to be true.

“It’s a disservice to the American people who are rightfully concerned because I know firsthand the damage that drones can do,” he explained. “Even if a drone flies over a site for just a few minutes, do a bunch of flips and disappear in the middle of the night, the damage is already done. Most people don’t know how much intelligence data can be collected with sensors that are attacked to these drones.”

“Our law enforcement doesn’t even know the rules of engagement for monitoring and downing rogue drones over the U.S.,” Velicovich lamented. “The average official couldn’t even tell you who’s in charge of that.”