Now, Canada confirms sighting of Chinese spy balloon; issues alert

Torronto: A second incident involving a suspected spy balloon was confirmed by Canada’s national defence on Friday, and officials said they are keeping an eye on it.

The national defence said in a statement that “a high-altitude surveillance balloon was identified and its movements are being carefully watched by NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command).”

The statement further stated, “Canadians are safe and the country is taking precautions to protect the security of its airspace, including the surveillance of a potential second incident.

Reportedly, the situation has been evaluated and closely coordinated efforts have been made by representatives from NORAD, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Department of National Defence, and other partners, it said.

The Canadian intelligence services are collaborating with their American counterparts, according to the national defence command, and they “continue to take all necessary precautions to preserve Canada’s sensitive information
from foreign intelligence threats.”

As the situation changes, we keep in close contact with our American allies, the national defence said.

Following the US military’s announcement that it is tracking a suspected Chinese high-altitude spy balloon as it travels over the northern United States, Canadian defence officials have issued this alert.

According to brigadier general Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for the Pentagon, the US has so far decided against shooting the spy balloon down.

The balloon does not pose a military or physical threat to persons on the ground, according to Mr. Ryder, who noted that it is currently flying at a height well above commercial aviation traffic.

The US has “extremely high confidence” that the object is a Chinese high-altitude balloon that was flying over sensitive locations to gather information, a senior defence official told reporters at the Pentagon.

One of the three US nuclear missile silos at Malmstrom Air Force Base, where the balloon was observed, is in Montana. To discuss sensitive information, the official anonymously told an international news portal.

The suspected spy balloon, which is thought to be the size of three buses, was seen Wednesday over Billings, Montana. It flew past the Aleutian Islands, into Canada, and into the United States.

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