A US fighter jet shot down an unidentified object flying over northwestern Canada on Saturday, days after a suspected Chinese balloon was shot down in North American skies.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the development on Twitter, stating: “I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace”.
He said the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD Command) shot down the object over the Yukon territory. “Canadian and U.S. aircraft were scrambled, and a U.S. F-22 successfully fired at the object,” Trudeau wrote.
“I spoke with President Biden this afternoon. Canadian Forces will now recover and analyze the wreckage of the object. Thank you to NORAD for keeping the watch over North America,” he concluded.
After downing the mystery object, the NORAD with the cooperation of the Federal Aviation Administration implemented a temporary flight restriction airspace in central Montana on Feb. 11 2023 to ensure the safety of air traffic in the area during NORAD operations. The restriction has now been lifted.
Canada’s defense minister Anita Anand in a statement said, “The object was flying at an altitude of approximately 40,000 feet, had unlawfully entered Canadian airspace, and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight”.
