Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has caused a wave of frustration and criticism by ordering the suspension of private drone flights in North Carolina’s Hurricane Helene flood zone. Many people are already dissatisfied with the government’s inadequate response to the deadly crisis, and this move has only added fuel to the fire.
The official DOT X account issued a warning on Tuesday afternoon, advising drone pilots to refrain from flying their drones near or around rescue and recovery operations for Hurricane Helene. This cautionary message comes almost a week after the storm caused extensive flooding in the mountainous area.
The announcement stressed the detrimental impact of interfering with emergency response operations on search and rescue efforts on the ground.
North Carolina has been hit the hardest by the devastating storm that occurred last week. The western part of the state has accounted for 94 out of the over 200 casualties confirmed by authorities. Unfortunately, there are still hundreds of people who remain missing and unaccounted for.
Many people are extremely dissatisfied or even angry with the insufficient response from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) despite the alarming statistics. FEMA is on the brink of depleting its funds, having already spent $640 million on the migrant crisis.
Buttigieg’s decision to discourage residents from taking matters into their own hands and instead rely on an agency that has been criticized for its slow rescue efforts only further compounded the frustration and disappointment felt by many.
Another person expressed their frustration, stating, “Your assistance is more harmful than not doing anything at all.”
Another user expressed their disappointment, stating, “Private citizen drones and helicopters have been actively saving lives for days, and they continue to do so. It is disheartening that you are not acknowledging their efforts.”
Several users expressed their belief that the order was an attempt to hinder citizen journalists from documenting the full extent of the damage through visual media. A poster made an accusatory statement, saying, “You’re hiding something.”
Buttigieg’s credibility has been called into question by many due to a series of ongoing problems during his time as transportation secretary. These issues range from Boeing’s struggles to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge and widespread supply chain disruptions on the US West Coast and beyond.