Mysterious object shot down by IAF's Sukhoi-30 jet was US-made balloon

Representational pic

Jaipur: The mysterious balloon-shaped object, which was shot down by a Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft in Rajasthan's Barmer district on Tuesday, was actually a US made balloon.

According to a news report, the balloon was 3 metre wide/8ft long and no explosives were found in it.

IAF officials on Tuesday said the object was flying in from the western sector (implying Pakistani side) and was shot down.

"Between 10.30 - 11.00 am, unidentified balloon-shaped object was picked up on IAF radar, which was unidentified and was in our airspace. An IAF fighter was launched, which intercepted the object and brought it down. We have launched further investigations into it," a source in the IAF told IANS.

The incident happened in Barmer, nearly 500 km from Rajasthan capital Jaipur, where some villagers have reported an incident of certain metal pieces falling down from the sky.