High-Altitude Balloon Spotted Over Western US

(AP)

A high-altitude balloon of unknown origin and purpose was spotted over the Western United States Friday afternoon, CBS News reported.

Speaking on a condition of anonymity, sources said the balloon was moving east on the jet stream, passing over Colorado earlier in the day. The sighting was enough of a concern that the military sent aircraft to investigate.

Today’s sighting comes one year after a Chinese balloon equipped with advanced surveillance equipment was allowed to traverse the entire continental United States before being brought down off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4, 2023.

In December it was reported that the Chinese spy balloon that traversed the United States used an American internet service provider to send data back to China, U.S. intelligence officials told NBC news.