White House says a second ‘high altitude object’ shot down over Alaska

WASHINGTON — White Home spokesman John Kirby mentioned Friday that the Division of Protection shot down a “excessive altitude object” that was in Alaska’s airspace within the final 24 hours.

Kirby mentioned the article was flying at an altitude of 40,000 toes and “posed an inexpensive menace to the security of civilian flight.” Out of an abundance of warning and on the suggestion of the Pentagon, President Joe Biden ordered the army to down the article, Kirby mentioned.

Kirby mentioned U.S. officers nonetheless do not know a lot concerning the object, together with the place it is from.

“What we all know is that the flight path it executed took it over delicate army websites. What we additionally know is that it might maneuver, that it had propulsion functionality and guidance functionality and will decelerate pace up and that it, it was on a path to transit over delicate army websites,” Kirby instructed reporters.

“I wish to stress once more, we do not know what entity owns this object,” Kirby mentioned. “There is not any indication that it is from a nation or an establishment or a person. We simply do not know. We do not know who owns this object.”

One purpose it was shot down, Kirby mentioned, was as a result of “at its altitude, (it) represented a possible menace to the security of flying clients. You understand civil air visitors.”

This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: US shoots down second ‘excessive altitude object’ following spy balloon row