A suspected Chinese spy balloon has been spotted again in US airspace – this time over North Carolina.
The discovery of the aircraft has stirred tensions and a diplomatic row between China and the US.
The US claims the craft is a suspected spy balloon and says it has committed a “clear violation” of its sovereignty.
A visit to China by secretary of state Antony Blinken, during which he was to meet President Xi Jinping, was postponed following the sighting.
China insisted it is used for meteorological and other scientific research, and had been blown off course.
The contradicting lines from Beijing and Washington have created a void of uncertainty now being filled with theories, with some experts questioning why China would send it for reconnaissance, given that any intelligence gains from the craft would likely be extremely limited.
Others have said it could be a deliberate effort to embarrass or provoke the US, by showing how easily American airspace can be entered.
Its latest sighting comes after Mr Blinken spoke with the director of China’s Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, about what had happened.
Beijing said they discussed how to deal with accidental incidents in a calm and professional manner.
Also on Friday, the US defence department said the balloon poses “no physical or military threat” to civilians, and there’s no risk of any nuclear or radioactive material on board.
Military leaders decided against shooting it out of the sky due to safety risk from falling debris.
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The object is believed to have flown over the Aleutian Islands, off the coast of Alaska, and through Canada before entering the US earlier this week.
It is operating at 60,000ft and is manoeuvrable, the Pentagon has said.