Chinese 'Spy' Balloon Spotted Flying Over Latin America
Security
Tuesday 7th, February 2023
China has come out and confirmed that a 'spy' balloon which was spotted flying over Latin America is a Chinese balloon.
The confirmation comes as the US are retrieving the wreckage of the balloon after shooting it down over the weekend. The shooting down of the balloon which has sparked outrage with China. China have stated that the shooting down of the balloon is an "unacceptable violation" of it's sovereignty.
China's foreign ministry has said that the device was of "civilian nature and used for flight tests".
"Affected by weather forces in addition to its manoeuvrability being limited, the airship deviated greatly from its expected course, and accidentally entered Latin American and Caribbean airspace," spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing.
That statement came three days after what the Pentagon characterised as another Chinese spy balloon had been seen across Latin America.
Colombia's air force reported at the weekend an object with "characteristics similar to those of a balloon" was detected and monitored until it left Colombian air space.
Investigations were being conducted in coordination with other countries and institutions to establish the object's origins, it said.
Pentagon officials have described it as a "high-altitude surveillance balloon" and said Washington had taken steps to block it from collecting sensitive information.
China has said the balloon that was shot down was primarily gathering weather data and that it had been blown off course.
The confirmation comes as the US are retrieving the wreckage of the balloon after shooting it down over the weekend. The shooting down of the balloon which has sparked outrage with China. China have stated that the shooting down of the balloon is an "unacceptable violation" of it's sovereignty.
China's foreign ministry has said that the device was of "civilian nature and used for flight tests".
"Affected by weather forces in addition to its manoeuvrability being limited, the airship deviated greatly from its expected course, and accidentally entered Latin American and Caribbean airspace," spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing.
That statement came three days after what the Pentagon characterised as another Chinese spy balloon had been seen across Latin America.
Colombia's air force reported at the weekend an object with "characteristics similar to those of a balloon" was detected and monitored until it left Colombian air space.
Investigations were being conducted in coordination with other countries and institutions to establish the object's origins, it said.
Pentagon officials have described it as a "high-altitude surveillance balloon" and said Washington had taken steps to block it from collecting sensitive information.
China has said the balloon that was shot down was primarily gathering weather data and that it had been blown off course.
