Balloon intercepted by NORAD fighter jets over Utah
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(NewsNation) — Fighter jets with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on Friday intercepted a balloon flying at high altitude over Utah, according to the organization.

The balloon, deemed by NORAD fighters to be “not maneuverable” and not a “threat to national security,” was flying between 43,000 and 45,000 feet when it was intercepted.

“NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon,” the organization said in a statement to NewsNation. “The FAA also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety. NORAD remains in close coordination with the FAA to ensure flight safety.”

Just a little over a year ago, the U.S. military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the South Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. China insisted the flyover was an accident involving a civilian aircraft and threatened repercussions.

The spectacle had Americans looking to the skies for days, wondering whether the mysterious balloon had floated over them.

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