US Navy divers searched this Sunday for the wreckage of the Chinese balloon, which had been shot down on Saturday when it was already over the Atlantic Ocean after flying over the US for several days. Washington claims it was a spy balloon and that it was responding to an “unacceptable violation” of its sovereignty, but Beijing insists it was just a civilian scientific apparatus doing its utmost and called the US action “clearly disproportionate” .
The balloon was shot down by a single missile – an AIM-9X Sidewinder – fired from an F-22 fighter, which had landed about six nautical miles off the coast of South Carolina, near Myrtle Beach.. Department of Defense officials revealed to US media that the wreckage fell in an area where the water is only 14 meters deep, less than expected, spread over an area of more than 11 kilometers. Two ships, including one with a crane, are already on site. Another balloon will have been detected flying over Latin America, seen in Costa Rica and also in Colombia.
The balloon’s presence in US skies prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel the planned trip to Beijing – it should have started this Sunday. In response to the decision to bring down the balloon, China’s foreign ministry said it had asked Washington to “handle the situation in a calm, professional and moderate manner” but that the US was “urging the use of violence” against “an unmanned civilian aircraft”. Therefore, he believes that there was a “clearly disproportionate” response, threatening: “China will protect the legitimate rights and interests of affected companies and reserves the right to make other necessary responses.”
The balloon entered US airspace on Jan. 28, flying over Alaska before passing through Canada and returning to the US. Its presence was not made public until Thursday, after it was spotted in the skies over Montana – one of the places where fields of nuclear missile silos are located.
US President Joe Biden said he had already issued the order to be shot on Wednesday. However, it was felt that it could pose a risk to the population, and chose not to shoot it down until it was already over the Atlantic. Republicans, however, criticize the delay, accusing Biden of “dereliction of duty”. Senator Marco Rubio believes it was an attempt on the part of the Chinese to embarrass the president ahead of the State of the Union address – scheduled for Tuesday – by saying: “We have the ability to do this and America can do nothing.” “.
It wasn’t the first time a spy balloon had flown over the US, but no balloon has ever stayed over US soil for so long.. At least three balloons were seen during Donald Trump’s presidency and one during Biden’s term. The Pentagon said it not only took steps to prevent sensitive information from being intercepted by the spy balloon, but also used the opportunity to gather information about it. “We were able to study and examine the balloon and its equipment, which was valuable,” said an official quoted by US media.
Source: DN
