Selfie with spy balloon! US pilot captures Chinese balloon at 60,000 feet
Pentagon shares pilot’s selfie with suspected Chinese spy balloon.
A selfie photograph taken by a U2 spy plane’s pilot was released by the Pentagon. The highlight of the selfie is the suspected Chinese spy balloon which was captured by the pilot while the plane was hovering above the Chinese spy balloon in the US skies, after which the balloon was shot down by the US military off the coast of South Carolina earlier this month.
In the image, the controversial, silvery-white balloon is clearly seen with panels dangling below it. The picture was taken by the airman on the flight deck as the balloon got into the US airspace at a high altitude.
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China has continued to deny that it is a spy balloon and has rather claimed that it was a weather ship which veered off course. However, Washington continues to claim that the balloon was part of a Chinese intelligence collection programme.
When the balloon was spotted flying over US territory, around two planes gathered information on its trajectory and features.
Earlier this month, a senior State Department official said that fly-bys revealed it "was capable of conducting signals intelligence collection operations". Officials first spotted the balloon after it entered Alaskan airspace on January 28.
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WATCH | US recovers debris of Chinese balloon; FBI to analyse downed spy balloon
The image released by Pentagon was taken a day before it was shot down on February 4. The balloon was reported to be flying at 60,000 feet (18,200m) in the air. According to the Air Force, U-2 planes fly routinely at altitudes over 70,000 feet.
Last Friday, the recovery efforts for the scattered remnants of the balloon ended in the Atlantic Ocean. Pentagon's deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said that they have recovered pieces of the debris, which includes its payload, and they are being studied.
(With inputs from agencies)
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