US military shoots down octagonal object flying over Lake Huron near Canadian border

Canada: United States fighter jets have shot down an “unidentified object” flying near the Canadian border in the Midwest, the Pentagon said, the latest incident since a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon put North American security forces on high alert.

The object was flying at 6,100 metres (20,000ft), and while it was not a military threat, it could have potentially interfered with domestic air traffic, Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder said in a statement.

It was shot down at 2:42pm local time (19:42 GMT) over Lake Huron on the US-Canada border, the statement said.

It was the fourth unidentified flying object to be shot down over North America by a U.S. missile in a little more than a week.

The object appeared to be octagonal in structure, with strings hanging off but no discernable payload, said a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity.

The object was recently detected over Montana near sensitive military sites, prompting the closure of U.S. airspace, the Pentagon said.

The incident raised questions about the spate of unusual objects that have appeared over North American skies in recent weeks and raised tensions with China.

“We need the facts about where they are originating from, what their purpose is, and why their frequency is increasing,” said U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell, one of several Michigan lawmakers who applauded the military for downing the object.