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The United States on Saturday downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast on orders from President Joe Biden after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America, becoming the latest flashpoint in tensions between Washington and Beijing.
The balloon was spotted in the morning over the Carolinas as it approached the Atlantic coast. At about 2:40pm local time, an F-22 fighter jet fired a missile at the balloon, puncturing it while it was about 6 nautical miles off the coast near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Pentagon officials said.
Officials said the debris landed in 47 feet of water, shallower than they had expected. It was not immediately clear how long the recovery would take. The Navy is taking the lead, supported by the Coast Guard.
“They successfully took it down and I want to compliment our aviators who did it,” Biden said after getting off Air Force One en route to Camp David.
Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the giant deflated balloon descending like a ribbon toward the water. US military jets were seen flying in the vicinity and ships were deployed in the water to mount the recovery operation.
Georgetown resident Joey Lopes told CNN he was visiting Myrtle Beach for the day when he heard a loud bang in the sky. He recorded video footage of the balloon moments after it started to fall from the sky.
Officials were aiming to time the operation so they could recover as much of the debris as possible before it sinks into the ocean. The Pentagon had previously estimated that any debris field would be substantial.
In preparation for the operation, the FAA Administration temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coastline, including the airports in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina.
The Coast…
