New York (AFP)
An Air Force squadron and another one from the Navy flew over New York and its surroundings on Tuesday to pay tribute to the medical and emergency personnel.
The two formations of six aircraft each, the Thunderbirds of the US Air Force and the Blue Angels of the US Navy, flew over Manhattan around noon (4:00 p.m. GMT), before branching off to the New Jersey.
Decorating a cloudless sky with their white trains, they then flew one by one over the five major districts of New York, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and again Manhattan.
Dozens of people had gone to city parks to watch the show, risking social distancing, while hundreds more watched the scene from the roof of their building.
After a passage of around forty minutes in total, the fighter planes headed for Philadelphia, which they flew over at 2 p.m. (6 p.m. GMT).
Called "America Strong", the operation plans to fly over other cities and regions of the United States, always to pay tribute to the personnel considered essential to the functioning of the country.
From next week and until mid-May, the aircraft should carry out a survey every "one to two days".
The operation also allows pilots to fly the minimum number of hours required to maintain their certification, the Air Force said in a statement.
© 2020 AFP