UK sends military chief to China for first visit in 10 years    General strike hits transport in Argentina    Israel releases Palestinian prisoner controversially arrested aged 13    At least 221 dead after Dominican Republic nightclub disaster, as search for survivors ends    Scarlett Johansson hitting Cannes both on-screen and behind the camera    Saudi Organ Center saves 8 lives through coordinated donor recoveries in 12 hours    AlUla joins IMD World Smart Cities Index 2025    Riyadh's Malham Airport designated for general aviation operations    Crown Prince receives calls from British PM and French President    Saudi, U.S. foreign ministers discuss strategic ties and regional developments in Washington    Al-Jadaan: Arab countries must measure the impact of increasing financial pressures    Saudi Arabia to resume direct flights to Syria soon    Flights and ferries suspended across Greece as unions call 24-hour general strike    Saudi Arabia's Industrial Production Index down 0.2% in February    Sabiri strike gives Al Taawoun narrow first-leg win over Sharjah in ACL Two semi-final    Douglas Gauthier appointed CEO of the Royal Arts Complex in Riyadh's King Salman Park    Nightclub collapse kills 79 in Dominican Republic's capital    Women make up 20% of e-sports players in Saudi Arabia    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Saudi U-17s qualify for 2025 FIFA World Cup after win over Thailand    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



US Navy releases photos of balloon debris
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 08 - 02 - 2023

The US Navy has released photos of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot out of the sky on Saturday.
The US Fleet Forces Command posted several photos on its Facebook page showing large debris of the balloon being hauled into a boat.
The post said the sailors retrieving the debris on Sunday were part of the Navy's specialist explosives team.
The device will now be examined to see whether it was indeed spy equipment.
US officials have described the balloon as being about 200 ft (60m) tall, with the payload portion comparable in size to regional airliners and weighing hundreds - or potentially thousands - of pounds.
China has repeatedly insisted that the "airship is for civilian use and entered the US due to force majeure - it was completely an accident".
On Tuesday, US officials said the Pentagon sought to arrange a phone call between Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart after the balloon was shot down, but was rebuffed by China.
"Lines between our militaries are particularly important in moments like this," defence press secretary Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the PRC has declined our request."
The discovery of the balloon set off a diplomatic crisis, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken immediately calling off a weekend trip to China - the first such high level US-China meeting there in years - over the "irresponsible act".
The balloon was retrieved off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a day after being shot down by a fighter jet.
The navy said the debris was spread over seven miles (11km) of the Atlantic Ocean, and two naval ships - including one with a heavy crane for recovery - were sent to the area. However, the photos reveal the piles of balloon material were able to be pulled aboard by hand.
The US military has also deployed unmanned underwater vehicles as part of the search effort.
Experts say that the wreckage of the balloon could provide the US with valuable insight into Chinese aerial surveillance technology and techniques, allowing them to better understand what the balloon was capable of and how it transmitted information.
Efforts to recover the balloon's equipment, however, have been complicated by the need to ensure that US personnel are kept safe from potentially dangerous materials, such as explosives or battery components.
US defence officials first announced they were tracking the strange object on Thursday, and waited until it was safely over water before shooting it down.
Footage on US TV networks showed the balloon falling to the sea after a small explosion.
On Friday, the Pentagon said a second Chinese spy balloon had been spotted - this time over Latin America with reported sightings over Costa Rica and Venezuela.
Colombia's Air Force says an identified object - believed to be a balloon - was detected on 3 February in the country's airspace at above 55,000ft.
It says it followed the object until it left the airspace, adding that it did not represent a threat to national security. — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.