A stranded jet skier gave JFK airport an unplanned test of its $100 million security system which proved that the airport may need to step up their security efforts further. The man was able to swim to the airport, climb a fence and not be noticed immediately, which is raising concerns and causing outrage.
Daniel Casillo, 31, was jet skiing in New York's Jamaica Bay after having a few drinks with friends. His jet ski broke down around 7:45 p.m. When Casillo couldn't get help, he swam to the only thing he could see; the lights of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Casillo was able to breach the Port Authority's $100 million state-of-the-art security system as he effortlessly climbed over the fence and made his way across two runways to one of the airport Terminals. The security system is meant to keep the airport safe from terrorists. However, Casillo went undetected by motion sensors and closed-circuit cameras of the Perimeter Intrusion Detection System, or PIDS.
"I think he should be given dinner and a bottle of champagne for showing us our faults," said Nicholas Casale, an NYPD veteran and former MTA deputy security director for counterterrorism, as quoted by ABC.
However Casillo didn't get that champagne. He was arrested and charged for trespassing when he was finally noticed soaking wet and wearing a bright yellow life jacket by a Delta Airlines employee at Gate 10. Casillo had no money or identification on him as he had left it on the broken-down jet ski.
Officials are outraged by how easy it was for Casillo to breach security.
"We're dealing with safety here," Senator Charles Schumer says to New York's WABC TV. "God forbid a terrorist should get onto a runway of an airport."
The PIDS security system has been a concern for a while and this incident just proves that it might be time for some changes. This isn't the first time that there have been issues with the security system. Last year the fence was knocked down by weather and went unfixed for days.
"The Port Authority PBA has been concerned about the failure of the PIDS system for quite some time. We have brought this to the attention of former Executive Director Chris Ward, who failed to act," said Robert Egbert, spokesman for the Port Authority PBA, as quoted by the New York Post.
The Port Authority has stepped up their patrols and they are investigating the incident. They will meet with PIDS maker Raytheon later this week.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
