US Mulls Shooting Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon Over Atlantic Ocean - Reports

US Mulls Shooting Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon Over Atlantic Ocean - Reports

The United States is considering shooting down the alleged Chinese surveillance balloon in the US airspace once it reaches the Atlantic Ocean, the ABC broadcaster reported, citing a senior US official

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th February, 2023) The United States is considering shooting down the alleged Chinese surveillance balloon in the US airspace once it reaches the Atlantic Ocean, the ABC broadcaster reported, citing a senior US official.

The US might wait until the balloon is over the Atlantic and then try to shoot it down and retrieve its fragments, ABC said, citing the official, adding that the move would require a "localized airspace shutdown" during the operation to protect civilians.

US officials are working on plans to shoot down the balloon so that it lands in the US territorial waters as Washington wants to keep the airship and study it, according to the broadcaster.

On Thursday, the Pentagon announced the detection of an alleged surveillance balloon from China over the US state of Montana. Beijing claims the balloon was a civilian airship engaged in scientific research.

China's foreign ministry said the airship deviated far from its planned course due to force majeure and expressed regret over its unintended entry into US airspace.

On Friday, the US State Department announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would not leave for Beijing later in the day as initially planned due to the balloon incident.