Military Aircraft Circles Over Midtown As Part Of 'Secret Service Protective Operation'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The military aircraft seen circling over Midtown on Tuesday was involved in a Secret Service protective operation, a U.S. government source told WCBS 880's Alex Silverman.

The C-130 flew low over the city around 4:30 p.m., causing confusion.

A spokesperson for the Secret Service said the agency does not comment on its protective operations, but the flight was coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration.

"U.S. military aircraft are currently conducting authorized flights over New York City in coordination with FAA air traffic control," the FAA said in a statement.

Nancy Silvestri, a spokeswoman for New York City's Office of Emergency Management, said the agency was not notified that the military aircraft would be flying over Manhattan.

"We did not have any information about this flyover before it occurred. If we did, we certainly would have issued an alert as is our normal protocol," she told Silverman.