Bota

Suspected as a 'spy' balloon, China denies it: It is a weather device

Suspected as a 'spy' balloon, China denies it: It is a weather device

A balloon believed to be a 'spy' sent by China was spotted over the US.

US defense officials said they believed the balloon, seen over sensitive areas in recent days, was actually a "high-altitude surveillance" device.

But China has denied the assumptions, reports the BBC . In a statement, China's foreign ministry said it was used mainly for meteorological purposes.

"We regret the unintentional entry of the balloon into US airspace," the embassy said.

The object flew over Alaska's Aleutian Islands and across Canada before appearing over the town of Billings, Montana.

Montana is home to some of the US's nuclear missile silos.

The United States decided not to crash the balloon because of the danger posed by falling debris and the limited use of any intelligence the device could gather.

Latest news