Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: United States officials said that they were recovering debris from the downed Chinese spy balloon in the Atlantic for analysis from experts, and there was no plan to return the remains to Beijing.
According to the AFP, China said the spy balloon was an errant weather observation aircraft with no army purpose, but the US said it was a sophisticated high-altitude spying vehicle.
Spy Balloon
John Kirby, United States National Security Council spokesman, said that they recovered some remnants off the surface of the sea, but weather conditions hampered much undersea surveillance of the debris field. The comment comes two days after the US jet shot down the balloon.
John said that US personnel would ” be able to get down there and take a better at the bottom of the ocean in the coming day.
Head of the US Northern Command, General Glen VanHerck, told reporters that a navy ship was mapping the debris field measuring about 1,500 by 1,500 meters (yards).
He said that the spy balloon was up to 200 feet tall and carried a payload weighing several thousand pounds, roughly the size of a regional jet aircraft.
After slowly traversing the middle of the US, reportedly over several top-secret army sites, the spy balloon headed out over the east coast, where President Biden ordered it to be shot down.
Kirby said that there was no intention to send the pieces back. “I know of no such intention and plans to return it,” he said.
VanHerck said that the balloon debris would be carefully studied.
