He decided not to shoot it down for safety reasons. Flights departing from Billings Logan were suspended yesterday as a precaution
The Pentagon is tracking a Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States, but has decided not to shoot it down for security reasons. Defense officials said the balloon was observed flying at high altitudes for a couple of days after it entered US airspace. It has been monitored by several methods, including manned aircraft, and was recently followed as it passed through Montana, where the United States has nuclear missile bases. As a precaution, flights out of Billings Logan Airport were suspended yesterday.
In an official statement, the Pentagon said “The US government has detected and is monitoring a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is currently over the continental United States. The US government, including the Aerospace Defense Command of North America, continue to follow and monitor it closely. The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and poses no military or physical threat to people on the ground. Cases of this type of activity ballooning have been observed previously in recent years. Once the balloon was detected, the US government took immediate action to protect itself from the collection of sensitive information.”
The Washington State Department summoned the Chinese charge d’affaires to Washington “to deliver a very clear and firm message” about the Chinese spy balloon that has been flying over American space for a couple of days, reveals the Wall Street Journal. The incident comes a few days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Beijing, who will also see Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Canadian defense authorities clarified that there was no public danger, adding: “Canadian intelligence agencies are working with American partners and continue to take all necessary steps to safeguard Canada’s sensitive information from foreign intelligence threats.” “.
Source-www.adnkronos.com