【Swipe (2017)】

A large military-style plane,Swipe (2017) which looked remarkably like a C-130, circled Manhattan for at least 30 minutes on Tuesday afternoon, causing quite the commotion online.

Despite the concern from New Yorkers, Eric Durr, Director of Public Affairs at New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs told Mashablethe plane was simply an HC-130, a search and rescue plane, conducting routine training.

Durr explained that the folks flying the plane and helicopters around mid-town Manhattan on Tuesday, a crew based out of Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton, "specialize in retrieving people who are down behind enemy lines."

---

You May Also Like

---

---

SEE ALSO: This clever pilot used flight radar to spell out a friendly message

Though Durr knew what was going on, the rest of New York, and even some in the military, was left in the dark. A spokesperson at Air Mobility Command told Mashable they didn't know why the plane was there and were not sure if it was theirs. They were not made aware of any flight mission in the area today.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

According to Tom Namako, Deputy News Director at Buzzfeed, the NYPD was initially unaware of the reasoning behind the plane, though they later said the planes were part of a military training exercise.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Mashable later confirmed that the plane was part of the 102nd Rescue Squadron of the New York Air National Guard, which is a unit of the New York Air National Guard 106th rescue wing.

Mashable Trend Report Decode what’s viral, what’s next, and what it all means. Sign up for Mashable’s weekly Trend Report newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Curious and concerned New Yorkers, completely unaware of why the plane was hovering so close did a little online freaking out and began posting photos and video of the plane on Twitter, along with possible explanations.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

An Air Mobility spokesperson told Mashablethey've been trying to get in touch with the New York National Guard but, "We've been unable to get a hold of them at this point."

On Dec. 22, NBC 4 New York reported that law enforcement officials confirmed the low-flying military planes and helicopters spotted on Dec. 13 were for there for a training exercise involving the president-elect.

According to the news site, the planes were practicing how to land near Trump Tower and safely airlift the future president out of New York City.

Retired Army Maj. Mike Lyons and a current military analyst told NBC 4 New York that the mission may have also served as an opportunity to seek out rooftops in the city that could assist in future evacuations.

UPDATE: Dec. 22, 2016, 2:16 p.m. EST Updated with further clarification from NBC 4 New York.

Additional reporting by Colin Daileda.

• Life
• Tech
• Shopping
• Science
• Entertainment
• Games
• Social Good
• Digital Culture

• 'Thunderbolts*' mid
• Mark Zuckerberg backtracks after Horizon Worlds backlash
• Alexandria Ocasio
• Wordle today: Here's the August 24 Wordle answer and hints
• The cicadas aren't invading the U.S.
• TikTok's in
• The 4 generations meme is the wholesome energy we want in 2019
• Starlink is getting cheaper ahead of 'increase connectivity' event
• 5 Ways to Access a Locked Windows Account
• Meta's Quest VR headsets now require a Meta account

• Whoops! Prosecutor accidentally reveals charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange
• 'Ralph Breaks the Internet' gets the internet mostly right: Review
• First trailer revealed for Gods Unchained, a crypto trading card game
• It's exam results day in the UK and students are tweeting away their sorrows
• Ted Danson learns how to floss dance on the set of 'The Good Place'
• Uber drivers still aren't employees, but they can retire through Betterment
• Just in time for the holidays ... a magnum bottle of ranch dressing
• People think this makeup brand's tweet makes fun of something harmful
• Oh cool, you can see how much time you waste on Instagram now
• Before and after photos show devastation of the California wildfires

• Asus VivoWatch 6 AERO measures blood pressure and ECG
• Amazon fixed a major security issue with its Ring cameras in secret
• ‘5 Love Languages’ quiz on TikTok: What's the deal, and how can I try it?
• Queen Aemma: MVP of 'House of the Dragon' Episode 1, 'The Heirs of the Dragon'
• Inside the Murky Process of Getting Games on Steam
• The only inspiration you need for 2019 is this video of a cat and dog hugging
• Apple security flaw may allow hackers full control of devices, company warns
• Apple shares the best "shot on iPhone" photos for World Photography Day
• 'Thunderbolts*' mid
• 'Stranger Things: The Experience' gave me the catharsis the show couldn't

• Barcelona Open 2025 livestream: Watch live tennis for free
• Facebook Feed appears to be broken for many users
• Aamir Khan unpacks the journey to making 'Laal Singh Chaddha'
• Alexandria Ocasio
• U.N. confirms the ocean is screwed
• 'House of the Dragon' has an official podcast to help you indulge your new obsession
• The 14 worst White House moments of 2018
• Kilimanjaro receives high
• Best Garmin deal: Save over $100 on Garmin Forerunner 955
• 34 British tweets from 2018 that are guaranteed to make you chuckle