The Chinese surveillance balloon that floated across the United States this week may not be the first unmanned Chinese surveillance balloon that has infiltrated US air space.
Back in 2022, Hawaii News Now which is a major news station in the state of Hawaii reported a strange white balloon was spotted by residents on the island of Kauai back in February of 2022.
The balloon which was described by residents as a “white orb” even garnered the attention of the US military.
Hawaii’s adjutant general reported the US military sent out aircraft and confirmed that the “white orb” residents were seeing was actually a white unmanned balloon that had no “identifiable markings.”
Residents of Kauai claimed they saw jets shoot down the balloon and heard loud booms too.
The military however denied the locals’ claims.
Here’s an excerpt of the Hawaii News Now report:
A large mysterious object floating high above Kauai prompted a response from the military this week. The large white orb was identified by the military as an unmanned balloon with no observable identification markings.
Hawaii’s adjutant general said the military sent aircraft on Monday to check out the balloon.
Dozens of Garden Isle residents captured the mysterious balloon, with some saying it was very bright and not moving. Other residents said it looked like jets shot it down and some heard loud booms. But, the military said it did not fire at the balloon.
The report of the unidentified balloon occurred shortly after Biden’s first year of office but it never made national headlines.