Object resembling spy balloon discovered in Alaska - CNN
Photo: a ball similar to a spy balloon was discovered in the US (Getty Images)
In the United States, near the coast of the state of Alaska, a fishing vessel has spotted a balloon that may turn out to be a spy balloon from a foreign government, according to CNN.
Fishermen discovered the object and sent its photos to law enforcement. The sources of the channel noted that it is unclear whether the found object is indeed a balloon. However, the FBI preliminarily stated that it is an air surveillance balloon from a foreign government.
FBI agents plan to meet with the fishermen when they arrive at the port. Afterward, the object will be sent to the bureau's laboratory in the state of Virginia for analysis.
Chinese surveillance balloons over US territory
In early February 2023, a high-altitude surveillance balloon was discovered in the northern United States. Subsequently, the military determined that the object was a Chinese reconnaissance aerostat.
The first balloon was shot down by American forces on February 4. Later, four similar objects were shot down over the territory of various states.
In Washington, there are concerns that despite the interceptions, China may have gathered information from several secret US military facilities. However, the Pentagon could not confirm whether Beijing was able to obtain real-time intelligence.
China officially claimed that the objects were meteorological balloons and accused the Biden administration of an overly sharp and nervous reaction. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, stated that it was a meteorological balloon that accidentally entered US airspace.
US intelligence personnel discovered that the Chinese surveillance balloon used an American internet provider for communication.
