Suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down off South Carolina coast

Key Facts

The Chinese foreign ministry called the decision to shoot down the balloon a clear overreaction and a serious violation of international practice," reiterating its claim that it was a weather balloon, which U.S. officials have refuted.
The senior defense official told CBS News that the balloon was about six nautical miles off the coast of South Carolina when it was shot down.
pic.twitter.com/85EZ3EDbYq > > — Ashlyn Preaux for SC 61 (@ashlynforsc) February 4, 2023 Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement Saturday afternoon that President Biden had given his authorization on Wednesday "to take down the surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to American lives under the balloon's path."
The military Wednesday presented options to Mr. Biden, advising that it was too risky to shoot down the balloon over land, the officials said, and the president then directed the military to put together a plan to shoot down the balloon over water.