Hawaii
Again – America chases mysterious balloon
According to the military, the object poses no threat to air travel or national security, but officials said it was unclear what it was or who it belonged to.
Published
Another suspicious balloon has been found in the US – this time in the US state of Hawaii. (Photo gallery: Footage of a balloon shot down over the US in early February.)
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
The balloon is currently not believed to be Chinese and identification of the owner is ongoing.
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
According to three US officials, it is not yet clear what the flying object was or who it belonged to.
Reuters
The U.S. military has been monitoring the balloon since late last week and has determined it poses no threat to aviation or national security and is not sending signals.
IMAGO/UPI Photo
The object, which did not appear to be maneuverable, was moving slowly toward Mexico, officials said.
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
In early February, a Chinese spy balloon flew over parts of the United States before being shot down off the coast of Carolina.
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
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A suspicious balloon has again appeared in the airspace of the United States.
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American officials have reported that the balloon flew over parts of the US state of Hawaii.
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Signals have not yet been sent or received by the balloon.
The The US military noticed Another mysterious balloon flies over American soil. It is not yet clear what the flying object was or what it was about whose, according to three US officials. The object flew over parts of Hawaii, but not over sensitive areas, US news channel NBC News reported.
The U.S. military has been monitoring the balloon since late last week and has determined it poses no threat to aviation or national security and is not sending signals. It was unclear whether it was a weather balloon or something else, an official said. “The US could shoot down the thing if it got any closer to the ground.”
Unknown radar signature near Hawaii
“We responded to an unidentified radar signature near Hawaii Island on Friday,” said a spokesperson for the US Indo-Pacific Forces. Pacific Air Forces launched three F-22s to assess the situation and visually identified a spherical object. We observed the movement of the material and determined that it did not pose any threat.”
The object, which did not appear to be maneuverable, was moving slowly toward Mexico, officials said. The balloon is not believed to be Chinese at this time and identification of the owner is underway.
Balloon at an altitude of almost 11,000 meters
A Pentagon spokesman said the balloon was hovering at an altitude of 36,000 feet and there was “no indication that it was operated by a foreign or enemy actor.” The balloon did not fly directly over critical defense infrastructure or other major US government facilities, nor did it pose a military or physical threat to people on the ground.
In early February, a Chinese spy balloon flew over parts of the United States before being recovered by the US military off the coast of North and South Carolina. He was shot down. According to a series of US media reports, he allegedly collected information on several US military locations. The balloon also reportedly sent real-time information to Beijing. Beijing has always denied the allegations.
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