Navy releases pictures of Chinese surveillance balloon recovery off Myrtle Beach coast
The U.S. military is back out on Tuesday along the Grand Strand coast searching for remnants of a Chinese surveillance balloon.
Military officials said they will continue their search until every piece of debris is collected from the balloon that was shot down Saturday along the Myrtle Beach coast, WMBF reports.
U.S. Fleet Forces released new pictures on Tuesday showing sailors assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recovering the high-altitude surveillance balloon. The photos were taken by Petty Officer 1st Class Tyler Thompson.
North Carolinians and passengers traveling through Wilmington International Airport had plenty of reactions to the suspected Chinese spy balloon traveling through the state Saturday, when the airport had flights grounded after the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon entered its airspace.
The balloon was shot down around 2:40 p.m. and debris from the balloon fell into the Atlantic Ocean.
Pete Mishler, who owns the Sands Ocean Club in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, captured the moment aircraft shot down the balloon.
"We were just making jokes like everybody else," Mishler said. "It was crazy to see. You don't see that sort of thing everyday, but it was an experience."
The balloon was spotted throughout North Carolina before it was shot down, including the Asheville and Charlotte areas.
