NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he is furious that the federal government flew a Boeing 747 and a fighter jet near ground zero. The incident on Monday caused a brief panic among workers, who said they were not notified in advance.
Bloomberg says the flyover so near the World Trade Center site showed "poor judgment" and was insensitive. He says he is furious that the NYPD and another city agency were notified last week, but did not tell him.
If he had known, Bloomberg says he would have tried to stop it.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the Air Force says the flight was a government photo opportunity and training mission involving a presidential plane.
The White House issued an apology for the exercise.
"It's clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused," White House Military Office Director Louis Caldera said in a statement.
The exercise involved two F-16s escorting President Obama's Air Force One backup plane in the vicinity of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. FAA spokesman Jim Peters said the maneuver was not an emergency and was coordinated in advance with the FAA and state and local officials.
Obama was not on board.
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