Television footage showed a small explosion, followed by the balloon descending toward the water - off the Carolina coast
0:26The US has shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that has been flying over its airspace.Ships had also been deployed in the water to mount the recovery operation.The movement of Chinese 'spy' balloon
President Joe Biden said national security leaders decided the best time for the operation was when the balloon got over water.A US defence official said the aircraft was a spy balloon and that China intended to use it on sensitive military sites.The balloon was shot down at 2:39pm local time by a military fighter jet, from Langley AFB in Virginia.The fighter jet shot a single missile into the balloon, which caused it to crash into the ocean.
"This was the first opportunity to successfully bring down the balloon without posing a threat to civilians", a senior US official said.Officials said they are"confident" the balloon was"seeking to monitor sensitive sights" and they will"seek to recover it".the craft after it was spotted again on Saturday - this time over North Carolina.
The US had previously hesitated to shoot the balloon because of the risks to people on the ground from falling debris. Ahead of the operation, flights were halted at three airports including Myrtle Beach International Airport in South Carolina because of a"national security effort", the Federal Aviation Administration said.
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