The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has shot down an “unidentified” craft over the Yukon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said.
“I ordered the grounding of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace. THE [NORAD] shot down the object over the Yukon,” Trudeau tweeted.
“Planes from Canada and the United States were dispatched to the scene, and fire from the U.S. F-22 hit the object,” he continued in a series of tweets. I discussed it with the president [Joe] Biden, this afternoon. The Canadian Forces will now repatriate and analyze the debris from the object. »
According to news reported by Global News, NORAD confirmed in the late afternoon that it had identified “with certainty” an object flying at high altitude over the north of the country.
No details on the device or its owner have been released, but it could be a spy balloon, according to English-language media sources.
Military planes “are currently operating from Alaska and Canada to support the activities” of NORAD, said Major Olivier Gallant, spokesperson for the binational organization, in a terse response.
On Friday, the United States shot down a flying object over Alaska, near Canada’s northern border. The device, which was “the size of a small car” and flew at an altitude of around 12,000 meters, posed “a threat to the safety of air traffic”, announced John Kirby, spokesman for the Council of White House national security.
PHOTO CHAD FISH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The first Chinese balloon, spotted last week in Canadian and American airspace, and shot down by Washington last Saturday
Search and recovery activities continue near Deadhorse, Alaska, but no details about the object, including its capabilities, purpose or origin, have been released. “Arctic weather conditions, including wind, cold, snow and lack of natural light, are a factor to consider, and personnel will adjust operations for their safety,” NORAD said in a statement. press release released on Saturday.
The incident came a week after the United States destroyed a Chinese surveillance balloon over the Atlantic Ocean.