Salvage Mission to Recover Debris of Chinese High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter flies over a debris field during recovery efforts of a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon. At the direction of the President of the United States and with the full support of the Government of Canada, U.S. fighter aircraft under U.S. Northern Command authority engaged and brought down a high-altitude surveillance balloon within sovereign U.S. airspace and over U.S. territorial waters on February 4, 2023. Carter Hall is the lead ship in debris recovery efforts led by the Navy, in joint partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, with multiple units in support of the effort, including ships, aircraft, and an Explosive Ordnance Disposal mobile diving and salvage unit. Photo by Lt. J.G. Jerry Ireland/U.S. Navy/UPI