Biden: 3 downed aerial objects not linked to Chinese airship

U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday that three unmanned aerial objects shot down over the weekend by the U.S. military were not connected to the Chinese airship that was shot down on February 4 and were "most likely tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions."

He said the administration didn't know exactly what the objects were, but there was no evidence they were connected to China or were "surveillance vehicles" from any other country.

Earlier this month, the U.S. shot down an unmanned Chinese airship that Beijing said entered U.S. airspace due to force majeure. China has strongly denounced the move.

Biden said the U.S. intelligence community was still trying to learn more about the three unidentified objects: one that was shot down over Alaska, one over Canada and a third that plunged into Lake Huron. The administration has said the objects were downed because they posed a threat to civil aviation.

(Reuters)