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'SPY' IN THE SKY
Third Chinese ‘spy balloon’ may be ‘operating near US interests’ after first was SHOT DOWN on Biden’s orders
A THIRD Chinese spy balloon is feared to be operating near the US after the first was blasted out the sky and second is floating near Latin America.
The first balloon was taken out over the Atlantic near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at around 2.39pm on Saturday, where residents reported hearing and feeling the blast from shore.
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An anonymous source told about the presence of two more spy balloons - one over Latin America and a third one operating in an unknown location.
Another source told the outlet that Beijing was “freaked” by the incident.
“They’re in a very tough place,” said this person. “And have very few cards to play right now.”
President Joe Biden gave a thumbs-up sign earlier Saturday when asked if the US planned to shoot the suspected spy balloon down.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III confirmed to the that a US fighter jet assigned to the US Northern Command "successfully brought down the high altitude surveillance balloon."
Austin said that the balloon was "used by the PRC [People's Republic of China] in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States."
A single AIM-9X air-to-air missile fired from an F22 fighter jet that flew out of Langley Air Force Base in Virginia shot down the balloon, a senior defense official told .
According to a senior defense official, "The surveillance balloon's overflight of US territory was of intelligence value to us.
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We were able to study and scrutinize the balloon and its equipment, which has been valuable."
The recovery of the balloon's debris will be "fairly easy" as it's in 45 feet of water, which is much shallower than expected, the official said.
US officials were reportedly also able to block the airship from gathering intel, per .
The US military took down the balloon with the "full support of the Canadian government," according to Austin.
He then thanked Canada for "its contribution to tracking and analysis of the balloon."
The Federal Aviation Administration closed down three airports and restricted airspace in parts of North Carolina and South Carolina.
All operations at Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Wilmington airports are paused until 2.45pm on Saturday for "national security initiatives," according to the FAA.
The FAA has since resumed flights out of the three airports affected and other airspace has been reopened as of 3.14pm on Saturday.
President Joe Biden vowed to "take care" of the alleged spy balloon floating over the United States earlier Saturday.
The aircraft was spotted over a nuclear missile base in Montana earlier this week and has since been observed over North Carolina on Saturday.
The military plans to stop the airship over the Atlantic, according to a senior US official who talked to , as it was en route to exit the East Coast Saturday afternoon.
Biden said: "We're gonna take of it," as he left Air Force One with his son Hunter Saturday morning at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in upstate New York.
'VIOLATION OF SOVEREIGNTY'
Secretary Austin said on Saturday: "Today's deliberate and lawful action demonstrates that President Biden and his national security team will always put the safety and security of the American people first while responding effectively to the PRC's unacceptable violation of our sovereignty."
The White House didn't want to shoot the balloon down over domestic soil as they feared risk to American lives and worried about igniting an international incident, according to officials.
Falling debris from the attack on the airship could cause casualties, which is why officials decided against it earlier this week.
Secretary Austin said that on Wednesday, President Biden authorized the balloon to be taken down "as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to American lives under the balloon's path."
On Friday, China said that the balloon does belong to Beijing, but said it was a civilian device "used for scientific research such as meteorology."
But, Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder has denied the Chinese government's claims.
"We are aware of the [People's Republic of China]'s statement," Ryder said.
"However, the fact is, we know that it's a surveillance balloon. And I'm not going to be able to be more specific than that.
"We do know that the balloon has violated US air space and international law, which is unacceptable," Ryder added.
"And so we've conveyed this directly to the PRC at multiple levels."
Officials from Horry County, South Carolina warned residents to not touch, move, or remove any debris they may find on the coastline.
"Such items are part of a federal investigation and tampering could interfere in that investigation," Director of Public Information Mikayla Moskov said.
People are advised to call their local authorities if they see debris.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his visit to China that he was expected to embark on this Friday reportedly because of the airship incident.
On Friday, the Pentagon said that another Chinese balloon was spotted over Latin America, but did not give the exact location.
News outlets in Costa Rica reported on Thursday that a similar-looking aircraft was spotted above the country's western coast, per .
CHINA REACTS
China has reportedly expressed “strong dissatisfaction and protest” against the ballon being shot down.
A statement from the country’s foreign ministry added that Washington was ”overreacting” and “seriously violating international practice.”
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“China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and protest against the US's use of force to attack civilian unmanned aircraft,” read the statement.
“The Chinese side has repeatedly informed the US side after verification that the airship is for civilian use and entered the US due to force majeure – it was completely an accident.”
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