United States authorities have confirmed the government has shot down a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean.
According to eyewitness reports, the balloon was hit by a US missile off the coast of South Carolina near Surfside Beach.
Vision posted to social media shows what looks like a burst balloon descending downwards.
US President Joe Biden told reporters he ordered the Pentagon on Wednesday to shoot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon as soon as it was safe to do so.
"They decided that the best time to do that [was when] it got over water," Mr Biden said.
The government then ordered a halt to flights around the South Carolina coast due to what it called an undisclosed "national security effort".
The balloon was downed by Air Force fighter aircraft.
"They successfully took it down and I want to compliment our aviators who did it," Mr Biden said.
"We'll have more to report on this a little later."
An operation to recover the debris from US territorial waters ensued.
BREAKING 🚨: The US has shot down the Chinese Spy Balloon over the Carolina coast pic.twitter.com/tHid39bUcY
— Latest in space 🪐 (@latestinspace) February 4, 2023
The development comes after traffic at several airports in North and South Carolina was grounded and airspace off the Carolinas' coast restricted.
The balloon had been flying at about 60,000 feet and was estimated to be about the size of three school buses.
In his first public comments earlier on the affair, Mr Biden told reporters the US was "going to take care of it".
Story By: Barbara Miller
Original Story link:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-05/us-shoots-down-spy-balloon/101932566
