04 February 2023 , 19:47
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Security officials in the US appear to have shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon which has spent several days crossing the width of the country.
The balloon was "successfully" taken down by the military over the Atlantic ocean just off the coast of South Carolina, president Joe Biden confirmed.
It follows a brief remark on Saturday in response to a reporter's question about the balloon, in which the president said: "We're going to take care of it."
The balloon was first sighted over the US on Wednesday by civilians in Billings, Montana, and was seen over the Carolinas on Saturday morning where it was travelling towards the Atlantic coast.
US officials shot down China's spy balloon on Saturday afternoon (Fox News)Authorities warned people not to take potshots at the floating orb with their rifles.
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The Pentagon has been closely tracking the balloon and was given the green light by Mr Biden to shoot down as soon as possible, which - due to the risk to people on the ground - was only once it was over the ocean.
In preparation for the operation, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily closed airspace over the Carolina coastline, including airports in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina.
The balloon was first sighted over Billings, Montana, on Wednesday (AP)The FAA was rerouting air traffic from the area and warned of delays as a result of the flight restrictions.
An F-22 fighter jet was then launched at the balloon at around 2.30pm EST (7.30pm GMT) puncturing it while it was about six nautical miles off the coast near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Officials said the debris landed in 47 feet of water, shallowed 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.
US officials shot down China's spy balloon on Saturday afternoon (Fox)"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.
China officials insisted the balloon was a weather measuring device which drifted off-course and was not a spy balloon, although this claim was rejected by the Pentagon.
An operation is now underway to retrieve debris from the balloon, which had been flying at about 60,000 feet and estimated to be about the size of three school buses.
Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the balloon descending toward the water.
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