Flight restrictions for Biden’s NC visit include Helene relief exceptions

While President Joe Biden’s Wednesday visit to the Carolinas prompted flight restrictions, they included an exception for civilian aircraft delivering Helene relief.

Flight restrictions were in place near the Greenville-Spartanburg and Asheville airports from 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. There were also flight restrictions near Raleigh. However, the restrictions allowed for Helene relief exceptions if coordinated before departure.

A previous version of this story omitted a reference to the exception.

One of the main relief efforts, Operation Airdrop, was founded in Texas in 2017 in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. According to its website, people can get involved by signing up to fly a plane, making donations, volunteering to organize, partnering with the nonprofit and sharing its mission online.

Biden was expected to survey damage in South Carolina before taking an aerial tour of western North Carolina. In North Carolina at least 32 people have died as a result of the storm, with many more unaccounted for.