Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

U.S. blocks vessels from area near balloon shoot down

Published 06/02/2023, 17:02
Updated 06/02/2023, 21:41
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The suspected Chinese spy balloon drifts to the ocean after being shot down off the coast in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, U.S. February 4, 2023.  REUTERS/Randall Hill/File Photo

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The suspected Chinese spy balloon drifts to the ocean after being shot down off the coast in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, U.S. February 4, 2023. REUTERS/Randall Hill/File Photo

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday it is imposing a temporary security zone in the waters off Surfside Beach, South Carolina in the area where the U.S. military on Saturday shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon.

The 10 nautical mile area security zone blocks vessels from entering without permission of the Coast Guard and is intended to protect the public "from potential hazards associated with physical objects."

The zone is to be enforced through Feb. 18.

The Pentagon told reporters Saturday the U.S. Navy was leading a recovery mission but said the duration of the operation was unknown. The Navy has divers and unmanned vessels to retrieve the remnants of the balloon.

© Reuters. A jet flies by a suspected Chinese spy balloon as it floats off the coast in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, U.S. February 4, 2023.  REUTERS/Randall Hill

"Recovery options will seek to recover all debris and any material of intelligence value," a senior defense official told reporters. A U.S. military official said there were multiple U.S. Navy vessels and Coast Guard vessels in the region on Saturday "establishing a security perimeter, conducting search for any debris that may be on the water to ensure the safety of U.S. civilians."

The debris is mostly in 47 feet (14.3 meters) of water, the Pentagon said. "The recovery that will make it fairly easy, actually. We planned for much deeper water," the military official said.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.