ABC News February 13, 2023

Significant portion of Chinese balloon spy equipment recovered, US official says

WATCH: US shoots down 3 unidentified objects in 3 days
By Luis Martinez

A crane ship on the scene where a Chinese surveillance balloon went down in waters off South Carolina has raised from the ocean bottom a significant portion of the balloon’s payload, a U.S. official said Monday.

Officials have said the payload measured as much as 30-feet-long and had all of craft's tech gear and antennas.

Chad Fish/AP
In this photo a large balloon drifts above the Atlantic Ocean, Feb. 4, 2023, just off the coast of South Carolina.
MORE: Chinese balloon reconnaissance platform located, officials say

Search and recovery efforts had to be halted at the end of last week because of bad weather and rough seas.

The U.S. military shot down the surveillance balloon on Feb. 4 after it flew across the country for several days.

U.S. Navy
Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 conduct pre-dive checks during recovery efforts of a high-altitude balloon in the Atlantic Ocean, Feb. 7, 2023.
MORE: Biden faces political headwinds as US shoots objects out of sky

With regard to other object shot down Friday and over the weekend, the official said the U.S. military continues to look for the remnants from the take out of the sky off the coast of Alaska.

U.S. Navy
A landing craft air cushion (LCAC) approaches the well deck of the Harpers Ferry-Class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall, Feb. 7, 2023, in the Atlantic Ocean, during recovery efforts of the high altitude surveillance balloon brought down on Feb. 4.

While the pilots who shot down that object saw pieces land on icy waters,, the official said, the search continues for the debris field amid bad weather. The U.S. wants to pinpoint the exact location before it places personnel in dangerous icy conditions, the official said. A Navy P-8 search plane was in the sky looking for debris.

Concerning the object shot down over Canada, the official said, that country's government is taking the lead but has not yet located the debris.

And about the object shot down Sunday afternoon over Lake Huron in Michigan, the official said, the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian authorities are still looking for the debris that landed on water.

Because there was a good visual of where it may have landed, the official said, there is confidence the remnants will be recovered.

Northcom issued a full statement on the matter, saying “Recovery operations near South Carolina continue. Crews have been able to recover significant debris from the site, including all of the priority sensor and electronics pieces identified as well as large sections of the structure. Weather permitted crane operations at the site late last week. Due to weather today, underwater recovery activities are limited but will resume as conditions permit.”

Up Next in News