Ballongen ble skutt ned av en F-22 fra Langley AFB med en Sidewinder

 

Her er den offisielle uttalelsen:

This afternoon, at the direction of President Biden, US fighter aircraft assigned to US northern command successfully brought down the high-altitude surveillance balloon launched by and belonging to the Peoples`Republic of China.

Vrakdelene landet i havet rett ved kysten utenfor Myrtle Beach, S.C.,, i 15m dypt vann.