Officials aiming to time operation so US military can recover as much of debris as possible before it sinks into 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, until at least 2.45pm EST on Saturday.
Officials were aiming to time the operation so they could recover as much of the debris as possible before it sinks into the ocean. The public disclosure of the balloon this week prompted cancellation of a visit by US secretary of state Antony Blinken to Beijing scheduled for Sunday to allow talks aimed at reducing US-China tensions.
The Pentagon rejected that out of hand – as well as China’s contention that it was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a question about the second balloon.
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