US aviation authority apologizes for Capitol evacuation

The FAA issued a statement on Friday to apologize for the eviction of the Washington House of Representatives building on Wednesday evening. FAA officials failed to report that a paratrooper stunt was being performed over the nearby Nationals stadium, causing panic in the Capitol.

“We deeply regret that we contributed to the precautionary evacuation of the Capitol,” the aviation authority said. According to the FAA, the incident was the result of “miscommunication”. The FAA previously announced that it is doing everything it can to prevent misunderstandings about aviation events in and around Washington in the future.

Police in charge of the US parliament on Wednesday called on everyone to leave the building due to a “possible threat from an airplane” after a military aircraft flew over the parliament building unannounced. Minutes later, it was announced that the danger had passed and the Capitol had been evacuated only “as a precaution.”

Democratic Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi accused the FAA of “apparent negligence”. She also announced an investigation to find out “what exactly went wrong and who at the aviation authority can be held responsible for this outrageous and frightening mistake”.

The Senate and House of Representatives were not meeting at the time of the evacuation, but hundreds of other employees were in the parliament building.