BOAT KIDS STUN POLICE AT JFK

NY POST ^ | 12 AUGUST 2003 | JENNIFER FERMINO and HASANI GITTENS

[csvset]

In a shocking security breach at JFK Airport, three teens wandered around an active runway - and were so under the radar that they had to turn themselves in to Port Authority cops, it was revealed yesterday.

The incident began shortly after Joel Phagoo, his kid brother and a cousin launched an inflatable raft to go fishing in Jamaica Bay near the airport, WABC-TV reported last night. When the weather turned bad, the raft drifted toward JFK.

[Hatteras]

"Or, perhaps, a sturdy fishing rod and a monster cast.",

...with at least a 30lb test.

[WestPacSailor]

Yeah, get some of that line you use for marlin fishing.

[Rebelbase]

When SAMs are outlawed............

[OldFriend]

Sorry for the hugh mistake!

[OldFriend]

FWIW, was diverted to Albany, NY airport for an eight hour stay last week. Noticed that the gate to the tarmac was locked at all times and anyone entering had to enter a code AND either press a finger or the sleeve of their uniform onto a touch pad of some kind.

Seems the smaller airports are doing a good job and the big cities are, as usual, filled with nincompoops.

[Centurion2000]

It would make spectacular news footage, but the likelyhood of a MANPAD actuall bringing a 747 DOWN is pretty slim.

At that range (on the tarmac) they could fire 2-3 missiles and have a guy with a MAG58 or RPK hosing down the plane wholesale as it went by.

[William McKinley]

Then we'll have to deal with their sons. And New York already had that headache once.

[Rebelbase]

LOL! I had to read it three times before it clicked!

[eno_]

Porn prosections and the Drug War. Feel safer?

[WestPacSailor]

At that range (on the tarmac) they could fire 2-3 missiles

At that range, they could throw rocks!

[eno_]

JFK airport is a known target. This is a pretty bad botch.

[WestPacSailor]

Porn prosections and the Drug War. Feel safer?

If we're winning the war on drugs, why do I feel like Custer at the Little Big Horn?

[eno_]

That depends on the definition of "winning" and "we." If you are among the LEOs on the WoD gravy train, you can say "we" are "winning."

[TC Rider]

"If these were three kids with SAM [Surface to Air] missiles, we'd all be saying something different. The bottom line is money," Danese said.

Thank God they weren't lugging around the popular .50 BMG rifle, the preferred anti-aircraft weapon of terrorists, domestic and imported.

[WestPacSailor]

Thank God they weren't lugging around the popular .50 BMG rifle...

Not a very effective anti-aircraft weapon. Rate of fire is WAAYYY too low, and it's too big to easily tote around town.

[Joe Driscoll]

They did the same thing three weeks before I turned 18 with the alcohol laws;^)

I thought those drinking law changes were great! They lowered it to 18 when I was 17 and raised it back when I was 22. I Couldn't ask for a better gov't.

[fortaydoos]

I completely agree and fly only if absolutely necessary. I am tired of being made to feel like a damn criminal while millions of scum walk across our borders every day.

[sam_paine]

Sailor,

You're correct that these airliners are designed to fly minus an engine (or two). And even though the engine mounts are designed to shear off the wing under severe torque....I'm not sure I'd want to test such circumstances during climb-out under full throttle with a few pounds of high explosives inserted into the exhaust!

I'm confident Boeing never did flight tests for that!

[Blood of Tyrants]

(Palm slapping forhead) How could I have forgotten? They made a LAW against it and solved that problem. Boy, do I feel stupid, now.

[jlogajan]

"If these were three kids with SAM [Surface to Air] missiles, we'd all be saying something different. The bottom line is money," Danese said.

Non-story. Most airports in the US have public access just yards beyond the end of the runways. Many of them have freeways or other public roadways just beyond the runway from which any SAM equipped terrorist could launch.

You don't want kids or wild animals on the runway for obvious reasons, but to think somehow US planes will be safe from SAM missiles if more money was spent to secure that particular airport grounds -- I don't think so.