Chinese ‘spy balloon’ to be ‘shot down after Biden gives thumbs up’ as it’s circled by US jets and FAA closes 3 airports
AN alleged Chinese spy balloon is being circled by military jets as three airports have been shut down after President Joe Biden vowed to “take care” of it.
The Federal Aviation Administration has closed down three airports and closed airspace in parts of North Carolina and South Carolina.
All operations at Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Wilmington are paused until 2.45 ET for “national security initiatives,” according to the FAA.
At least two jets were seen flying close to the airship at around 1.30pm, close to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the Daily Mail reports.
President Joe Biden has vowed to “take care” of the alleged spy balloon floating over the United States as the military reportedly prepares to shoot it down.
The aircraft was spotted over a nuclear missile base in Montana earlier this week and has since been observed over North Carolina on Saturday.
The military plans to stop the airship over the Atlantic, according to a senior US official who talked to ABC News, as it’s en route to exit the East Coast Saturday afternoon.
Biden said: “We’re gonna take of it,” as he left Air Force One with his son Hunter Saturday morning at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in upstate New York.
Washington officials have called the airship a “clear violation” of US sovereignty.
The White House didn’t want to shoot the balloon down over home soil as they feared risk to American lives and worried about igniting an international incident, according to officials.
Falling debris from the attack on the airship could cause casualties, which is why officials decided against it earlier this week.
The Pentagon reportedly plans to shoot the airship down so that it lands in US territorial waters, according to officials.
This will allow the US to study the balloon and avoid an international incident, according to officials.
On Friday, China said that the balloon does belong to Beijing, but said it was a civilian device “used for scientific research such as meteorology.”
But, Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder has denied the Chinese government’s claims.
“We are aware of the [People’s Republic of China]’s statement,” Ryder said.
“However, the fact is, we know that it’s a surveillance balloon. And I’m not going to be able to be more specific than that.
“We do know that the balloon has violated US air space and international law, which is unacceptable,” Ryder added.
“And so we’ve conveyed this directly to the PRC at multiple levels.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his visit to China that he was expected to embark on this Friday reportedly because of the airship incident.
On Friday, the Pentagon said that another Chinese balloon was spotted over Latin America, but did not give the exact location.
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