(NewsNation) — Fighter jets with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on Friday intercepted a balloon flying at high altitude over Utah, according to the organization.
The balloon, deemed by NORAD fighters to be “not maneuverable” and not a “threat to national security,” was flying between 43,000 and 45,000 feet when it was intercepted.
“NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon,” the organization said in a statement to NewsNation. “The FAA also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety. NORAD remains in close coordination with the FAA to ensure flight safety.”
Just a little over a year ago, the U.S. military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the South Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. China insisted the flyover was an accident involving a civilian aircraft and threatened repercussions.
The spectacle had Americans looking to the skies for days, wondering whether the mysterious balloon had floated over them.
