Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

BOSTON -- Federal aviation officials have imposed a restricted flight zone over parts of Hyannis after intense media coverage of Sen. Edward Kennedy's diagnosis of brain cancer.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters said the FAA began restricting air traffic on Wednesday. That was the day Kennedy returned to the compound in Hyannis Port after being released from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Peters said the restriction was put in place for safety reasons.

"We are aware that there might have been news organizations who wanted to operate in that space continuously," Peters said today. "It's a very small airspace."

Only unauthorized aircraft are being kept away, he said. Any aircraft landing or taking off from the Barnstable airport can go through the air space. Federal, state and local medical helicopters are also allowed, as are military aircraft.

The restrictions will remain in place until Tuesday.

-- The Associated Press

Leave a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.