US President Joe Biden said that his administration will "take care" of the suspected Chinese spy balloon hovering over the eastern United States, CNN reported. He made the remarks at an airfield in Syracuse in New York, where he is visiting a family.
When questioned whether he will shoot down the balloon, Biden said, "We're gonna take care of it," according to CNN. US President has been discussing options with military brass after he was briefed about the balloon on Tuesday. His advisors have warned against shooting the balloon down as debris could end up on homes or people.
The suspected Chinese balloon has been spotted in the skies over York County, South Carolina, after crossing over state lines from North Carolina, the York County Sheriff's Office informed in a tweet. It further warned residents against shooting the balloon.
"That's no moon. Yes, there are reports that the Chinese balloon is flying over our area at the moment. It's flying at 60,000+ feet. Don't try to shoot it!! Your rifle rounds WILL NOT reach it. Be responsible. What goes up will come down, including your bullets," the York County Sheriff's Office wrote in a tweet.
The Federal Aviation Administration has extended a ground stop for three airports in the Carolinas to 3:30 pm (local time). The FAA had earlier issued a ground stop for airports from 12:45 pm to 2:45 pm (local time) to support the US Department of Defence in "national security efforts," as per the CNN report. The airports affected are Wilmington in North Carolina, Charleston in South Carolina, and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.
"The FAA has paused departures to Wilmington (ILM), Myrtle Beach International (MYR) and Charleston International (CHS) airports to support the Department of Defense in a national security effort," FAA announced in a statement.
The US administration had restricted airspace near Myrtle Beach between 12:45 p.m. and 2:45 pm (local time). All flights that meet specific criteria must stay on the ground during a ground stop. The FAA made the announcement as the balloon was spotted over various parts of the Carolinas on Saturday.
( With inputs from ANI )
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