Small, nonthreatening balloon intercepted over Utah by NORAD
In this image provided by the Department of Defense, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, a U.S. Air Force U-2 pilot looks down at a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon as it hovers over the United States on Feb. 3, 2023. A small and nonthreatening balloon spotted flying high over the mountainous Western United States was intercepted by fighter jets over Utah, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command. (Department of Defense via AP, File)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A small, nonthreatening balloon spotted flying high over the mountainous Western United States was intercepted by a fighter jet over Utah on Friday, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
NORAD fighter pilots sent in the morning to investigate the balloon determined it was "not maneuverable" and did not present a threat to national security, spokesperson John Cornelio said. The balloon was still in the air, under close observation.
NORAD, a joint military command tasked with defending the airspace over the U.S. and Canada, has not said where the balloon came from or why it was flying over Utah and Colorado.
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