F-16 escorts Cessna away from Fla. airspace during Obama visit

A military jet and helicopter swooped alongside a small plane Saturday to and escorted it away from a temporary restricted flight zone above Florida’s eastern coast, where President Obama was spending the holiday weekend with friends, officials said.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Mike Humphreys said an F-16 jet and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter intercepted the plane just before noon and forced it to land a few minutes later at Witham Field in Stuart, Fla.

Federal Aviation Administration officials said in a statement that they’re investigating whether the Cessna 152 entered the restricted area above Florida’s Treasure Coast. No other information about the Cessna was immediately released.

A description of temporary flight restrictions posted on the FAA’s website said the section of Florida airspace will be closed until Monday for “VIP Movement.�

Aboard Air Force One on Friday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest responded to a reporter’s question about the president’s “guy’s weekend� by confirming that Obama was looking forward to spending the President’s Day holiday weekend with a group of friends in Florida.

“I’m sure they’ll take advantage of the opportunity to play some golf,� Earnest said.

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