FAA halts flights in the Carolinas as speculation grows U.S. will shoot down balloon

National Security

FAA halts flights in the Carolinas as speculation grows U.S. will shoot down balloon

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Chinese and U.S. officials are giving conflicting reasons for why the Chinese balloon, pictured, is floating over U.S. airspace.

Larry Mayer/AP


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Larry Mayer/AP

Chinese and U.S. officials are giving conflicting reasons for why the Chinese balloon, pictured, is floating over U.S. airspace.

Larry Mayer/AP

The Federal Aviation Administration said Saturday afternoon that it has “paused departures from and arrivals to” three East Coast airports “to support the Department of Defense in a national security effort.” President Biden promised to “take care of” the Chinese spy balloon that has been flying over the United States in recent days.

The airports are those in Wilmington, N.C., Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Charleston, S.C.

The Chinese balloon — which, despite Beijing’s denials, the Pentagon has said is meant for surveillance — was last seen in that region. This has prompted speculation that the military may soon take action to bring the balloon down in some form over the Atlantic Ocean.

This is a developing story and will be updated.