US discovers more mysterious hot air balloons.

The US deployed fighter jets to shoot down a Chinese balloon that entered its airspace in February (Photo: Fox).

NBC News, citing three US officials on May 1st, reported that a "mysterious balloon" had flown over Hawaii and was heading towards Mexico.

US officials have not confirmed exactly what the newly discovered flying object is or who owns it. The unidentified balloon also did not fly over any "sensitive" military areas.

The Pentagon has been tracking this object since "last weekend," and the U.S. military believes it poses no threat to air traffic or national security.

The U.S. continues its efforts to identify the newly discovered flying object and its owner. At present, the U.S. military is reportedly not convinced that the balloon originated from China.

Previously, a Chinese balloon had entered US airspace for several days starting in late January. It wasn't until February 4th that the US decided to deploy F-22 fighter jets to shoot down the balloon in the Atlantic Ocean. According to unnamed officials, the balloon weighed over 1 ton, and its debris fell over an area of ​​approximately 1,500 square meters.

Washington suspects it was a spy balloon and part of a fleet of surveillance balloons directed by the Chinese military that has flown over more than 40 countries across five continents. The U.S. says the downed balloon was equipped with multiple antennas "capable of collecting and geolocating communications."

NBC News reported on April 3rd, citing two senior US officials and a former official, that the Chinese balloon may have flown over several US military bases before being shot down on February 4th. The data collected by the balloon may have been transmitted to Beijing in real time.

The Biden administration faced strong criticism from Republicans for its delay in shooting down the hot air balloon when it entered airspace in February. The White House stated that it had taken steps to restrict the balloon's ability to fly and wanted to avoid potential harm to people on the ground from falling debris, so it waited until it was out at sea before shooting it down.

The incident escalated tensions between Beijing and Washington. China stated that the downed balloon was merely a civilian device used for meteorological research and had entered US airspace unintentionally.

Following the US, several other countries have also confirmed the sighting of balloons, including Costa Rica and Colombia. Canada also detected a balloon suspected of being a spy device in February.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/my-phat-hien-them-khinh-khi-cau-bi-an-20230502071716959.htm