An unidentified flying object that entered the territorial airspace of Canada was shot down by a U.S. F-22 fighter jet on Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
It was the third time since early this month for such an object to be militarily destroyed in North America, with the United States and many other democratic countries suspecting China of sending surveillance balloons across the globe.
"I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace" over the northern Yukon territory, Trudeau said in a Twitter post.
The object was shot down after it was detected by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a U.S.-Canada binational organization, he said, adding his nation's forces will "recover and analyze the wreckage." Trudeau said he spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden about the incident.
Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand said Saturday that what she described as "a small cylindrical object" was taken out as it could have posed a risk to civilian air traffic. The object was flying at an altitude of around 12,000 meters, she said.
The latest instance came a day after the United States shot down another unidentified object off the coast of Alaska. On Feb. 4, Washington also fired what it alleges is a Chinese spy balloon, which had traveled across the country, off the coast of South Carolina.
The Chinese Communist-led government has denied the U.S. accusation, claiming the balloon was used for civilian research purposes.
Related coverage:
U.S. military downs unknown object over Alaska
Unidentified balloon spotted off southwestern Japan last year: gov't
Chinese military unit involved in balloon operation: sources
I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace. @NORADCommand shot down the object over the Yukon. Canadian and U.S. aircraft were scrambled, and a U.S. F-22 successfully fired at the object.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 11, 2023
