The US military shot down a Chinese spy balloon on Sunday. Now the United States is reporting a new incident.
The United States shot down a flying object over Alaska, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a press conference. The flying object was at a high altitude over the state of Alaska and posed a threat to the safety of civil air traffic. Therefore, the US military shot it down on orders from President Joe Biden.
It is still unclear what kind of object it is and whether it was equipped with surveillance technology. Kirby emphasized that he could not say anything about the origin of the flying object. “We do not know who owns this object.” According to the New York Times, an official said there was no evidence of a military threat to the local people.
Official speaks of dynamic situation
Just last Sunday, the US military shot down a spy balloon from China over the state of South Carolina. The incident caused additional tension in the already strained relationship between the two countries. Here you can read more about it.
It is currently unclear whether the current case is a foreign flying object. It could also be a research project that went astray or a commercial flight that went astray, the official said, according to the New York Times. It is a dynamic situation that is still evolving.
Object was the size of a small car
According to spokesman Kirby, the object was significantly smaller than the downed Chinese balloon and was about the size of a car, according to Kirby. “It was described to me as being about the size of a small car,” Kirby said. China’s balloon, on the other hand, was more the size of two or three buses. He emphasized: “We will continue to keep a close eye on our airspace.”
The shot object landed on frozen waters in US territory. The debris should be recovered. “We hope that the salvage will be successful and then we can learn a bit more about it,” Kirby said.
