WASHINGTON -
The Port Authority of New York is trying to explain how a stranded jet skier climbed a fence and walked across two runways at John F. Kennedy International Airport without being detected.
Daniel Castillo easily breached the state-of-the-art security system while wearing a bright yellow life jacket. The man was arrested and charged with criminal trespass after making it to terminal 3 without being noticed.
The incident raises an interesting question about Reagan National Airport. Could the same thing happen there?
The entire east side of Reagan National Airport borders the Potomac River. Anyone piloting a boat could pull up to its shoreline. In places, a fence would prevent you from going any further. But as we learned Monday by looking through the long lenses of our camera, there are places where there is no fence at all.
There are signs saying "RESTRICTED AREA, KEEP OUT," but unless there is something near the runway our camera couldn't see, there doesn't appear to be a barrier keeping a determined person from running onto the runway.
Oddly, there is a fence that stretches from the north side along the river bank, but comes to an end near one of those warning signs.
Part of it is protected by what appear to be surveillance cameras mounted on poles.
A spokesperson for the airports authority said it Is against policy to discuss security, but anyone standing near Gravelly Point on Monday would have seen a police car patrolling the perimeter of the airport near the river.
And in the river, D.C. Police have jurisdiction patrolling the waters along with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Up in New York, the port authority is trying to learn how its motion sensors and other equipment in a $100 million system did not detect the breach.
Passengers wondered the same thing.
"Certainly they need to look at vulnerabilities from the water side because if somebody can just climb up the fence and get in, it doesn't make me feel safe flying at Kennedy. So hopefully they will do something about it," said a passenger standing outside the terminal.
Another one said, "It doesn't speak well for the people who are responsible and that requires investigation so it won't happen again."
The Port Authority of New York says it has stepped up patrols at the airport while it reviews the break down and how it happened.
The jet skier in New York says he called for help, but when it didn't come, he swam the three miles toward the lights of the airport.
A union official with the port authority police told the New York Post it has been concerned with the perimeter security system for quite some time and has sounded the alarm, but nothing has been done.
John F. Kennedy International Airport
