Guwahati: The United States shot down a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean, according to a US official quoted by CNN. US President Joe Biden had authorised shooting down the balloon and had the support of military personnel, according to the news report.
A US official said that recovery efforts were underway off the coast of the Carolinas where the alleged Chinese spy balloon was shot down by the US Navy. This week, the balloon was initially seen over Montana before moving through the middle of the nation and leaving the contiguous United States on Saturday.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground halt for the airports in Wilmington, North Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina before the balloon was shot down. The Federal Aviation Administration extended the ground halt for three airports in the Carolinas until 5:15 p.m. (local time) after the US shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon, CNN said quoting an official.
The FAA had earlier imposed a ground stop for airports from 12:45 PM to 2:45 PM (local time) in order to assist the US Department of Defense in “national security activities.” The ground stop was later prolonged until 3:30 PM, though (local time). Military leaders had urged against firing down the balloon because the fragments could endanger people and property below.
According to a news report, US President Joe Biden had vowed that his administration will “take care” of the alleged Chinese surveillance balloon. He made the comments during on a visit to a family at an airfield near Syracuse, New York. According to CNN, when asked if he would shoot the balloon down, Biden said, “We’re going to take care of it.”
Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed that the balloon unintentionally violated US airspace. However, the US State Department described the balloon’s presence on US soil as a “clear infringement” of both their sovereignty and international law. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also decided to postpone his trip to China after the balloon was discovered in the US.