February 5, 2023 2:23pm EST
Navy divers working to recover China spy balloon debris with Coast Guard, Navy ships on site
The US shot down the balloon less than 12 miles off the South Carolina coast
By Anders Hagstrom | Fox News
Navy divers are working to recover debris from the suspected Chinese spy balloon the U.S. shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday.
U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships arrived to the site where the balloon hit the water on Saturday before establishing a perimeter around the area. Pentagon officials say the recovery effort is expected to be relatively easy thanks to the shallow depth of just under 50 feet, but it could still take days.
The U.S. military had put several vessels from the Navy and Coast Guard on alert prior to shooting down the balloon. Recovery efforts began later Saturday and continue Sunday, with divers facing few obstacles aside from cold water temperatures, according to the New York Times.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the balloon, which was being used to surveil "strategic sites" in the U.S., was an "unacceptable violation of our sovereignty." President Biden ordered the balloon shot down last week, but the military waited until the craft was over open water.
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/navy-divers-working-recover-china-spy-balloon-debris-coast-guard-navy-ships-site