Technical glitch grounds thousands of flights across the United States

Thousands of flights across the United States have been affected after a technical glitch disrupted aviation operations across the country.

US aviation authorities said that flight departures had been suspended at airports across the country. Meanwhile, media reports indicated that there had been no official confirmation of a cyberattack or sabotage targeting the aviation system.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), incoming international flights to the United States would be assessed individually. Officials said the technical malfunction had affected radar systems and air traffic control capabilities. The US Transportation Secretary said FAA technical experts were investigating the issue.

According to a news agency, the FAA had not announced when the nationwide ground stop would be lifted. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was also investigating the incident.

Homeland Security Chief Markwayne Mullin said there was no need for the public to panic and that President Donald Trump had been briefed on the situation.

Mullin said records of all flights were available and that departures had been halted due to communication failures at air traffic control centres.

The US National Weather Service was also experiencing disruptions to its nationwide internet and communications systems, affecting public access to weather information on its websites.

According to the National Weather Service, technical experts were working to resolve the issue.