The U.S. Air Force shot down an unidentified object flying over Canada Saturday evening, according to U.S. officials.
The U.S. fighter jet was acting with Authorization from leftist Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace,” Trudeau tweeted. “@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.”
“I spoke with President Biden this afternoon,” he added. “Canadian Forces will now recover and analyze the wreckage of the object. Thank you to NORAD for keeping the watch over North America.”
I spoke with President Biden this afternoon. Canadian Forces will now recover and analyze the wreckage of the object. Thank you to NORAD for keeping the watch over North America.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 11, 2023
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said in a statement to The New York Times that it had “positively identified a high-altitude airborne object over Northern Canada” but did not give further details.
The incident over Canada comes one day after the U.S. shot down an unidentified object with a “cylindrical shape” off the coast of Alaska on Friday which was much smaller in size than the Chinese spy balloon that was shot down last week.
“We have no further details about the object at this time, including any description of its capabilities, purpose or origin,” said Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder. “The object was about the size of a small car, so not similar in size or shape to the high-altitude surveillance balloon that was taken down off the coast of South Carolina.”
A U.S. official told Politico that the object did not appear to have any “observable surveillance equipment.” The object was reportedly flying around 40,000 feet, making it a threat to civilian aircraft.
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