Chinese balloon destined for Hawaii was blown off track, US official says

• Chinese balloon originally had a trajectory that would have brought it over Guam and Hawaii.
• It was blown off course by prevailing winds.
• Washington accuses Beijing of employing it for spying and China claims was a civilian research vessel.

Washington: U.S. officials believe a Chinese balloon that was shot down after reaching the continental United States originally had a trajectory that would have brought it over Guam and Hawaii but was blown off course by prevailing winds, a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday.

The balloon, which Washington accuses Beijing of employing for spying and China claims was a civilian research vessel, floated through Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, then Canada and the central United States until being shot down by the United States military off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4.

The incident has strained US-China relations even further, prompting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a planned visit to Beijing last week.

The balloon was tracked by US military and intelligence agencies since it took off from Hainan Island near China’s south coast, according to the Washington Post on Tuesday.

The US military announced on Monday that it had recovered key equipment as well as huge pieces of the balloon itself.

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