FBI officer Los Angeles The search is underway for the operator of a private drone that collided with a Canadian plane helping to fight wildfires in California.

Akil Davis, FBI assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles field office, confirmed, air canada A Super Tackle aircraft helping to fight California wildfires was damaged Thursday after it collided with a private drone over the Palisades Fire.

Davis said the crash left a 3-inch by 6-inch hole in the plane’s wing.

However, when a crash occurs, policy dictates that all aircraft in the area must be evacuated, which can have a more serious impact Wildfire, Davis said.

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A Canadian firefighting aircraft was hit by a drone over Los Angeles County. (FBI)

“These types of aircraft are our most effective means of fighting fires and controlling them,” Davis said. “So when an incident like this occurs, it creates a significant issue for public safety and a danger to our first responders.”

An investigation was launched and some of the drones have since been recovered, according to the FBI.

A Canadian firefighting aircraft was hit by a drone over Los Angeles County. (FBI)

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“We are working with our counterparts in the public and private sectors to try to identify the operator of this drone,” Davis said. “But since that incident we have had (more than) interviews with the drone operator. 10) contacts, we have issued warnings and fines to these operators in previous years.”

During wildfires, Federal Aviation Administration The FAA issued temporary flight restrictions, setting up barriers to the use of law enforcement drones and firefighting aircraft.

A Canadian firefighting aircraft was hit by a drone over Los Angeles County. (FBI)

when Illegal operation of drones, Davis said this could lead to a “hazardous situation” that could result in loss of life.

“The scale of these fires is so large that the amount of resources required increases exponentially,” he said. “(Operating private drones) will result in firefighting efforts that are unable to save homes and lives. If one of those planes crashes, it would be catastrophic. of.”

He added that once a drone is detected, all firefighting aircraft in the area will be grounded for about 20 to 30 minutes.

A Canadian firefighting plane has suffered a hole in its fuselage after it collided with a drone. (FBI)

In Thursday’s case, the wait time was shorter because of the size of the fire and the resources needed to deal with a fast-moving blaze, but the costs were still high.

Ground interception teams, consisting of dozens of agents dispersed throughout the region, will intercept pilots or operators in defiance of FAA restrictions. Davis said they could face fines or even jail time.

“Drones are probably one of the most significant threats we have to law enforcement right now,” Davis said. “If you fly, we can’t…so please don’t be selfish. Pay attention to the law. Follow the law.”

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Authorities are seeking the public’s help in identifying who operated the faulty drone and others in violation of airspace laws.

For assistance, call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip: FBI.gov/.