Jet or Chinese spy balloon? Alleged explosion in the sky over Billings Montana sparks theories. Watch

An alleged explosion was seen in the sky over Billings, Montana, where the first Chinese spy balloon flew. Several social media users shared the video of the explosion. Some said they saw a jet fall down, while others suspected it was the surveillance balloon.

However, there is no confirmation of either theory.

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Video of the aftermath shows a trail of smoke in the sky where the balloon was last spotted. Dolly Moore, who recorded video of the incident, said she “saw a jet go by so fast and then an explosion in the sky.”

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After the video spread on the internet, Defense officials have said the balloon over Montana has not exploded. Authorities said no explosions or other incidents have been reported in or near Billings, reported MT – KTQV.

It comes a day after the US State Department called the balloon, which was traveling over the United States’ airspace at 60,000 feet, a clear violation of the US sovereignty, but said it wouldn’t be shot down because it was flying over several sensitive areas.

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According to US officials, the balloon is large enough that destroying it would rain down debris, risking the safety of people on the ground.

The balloon is about the size of three buses and could be fitted with high-tech equipment including cameras, sensors, and radar said analysts.

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On Wednesday, the F-22 fight jets were mobilized to track the device as it hovered over Montana, which borders Canada.

US defense officials said it entered US airspace a couple of days ago but its exact location was not shared.

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However, Montana Senator Steve Daines warned that the balloon might have been targeting his state’s nuclear missile fields.

On Friday, China acknowledged that a high-altitude balloon spotted over Montana does belong to Beijing, but it referred to the airship as a civilian device used in scientific research such as meteorology.

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According to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry, the airship was “affected by the westerly wind” and its ability to control its direction “is limited.” The statement also says that the balloon “seriously deviated from the scheduled route” and expressed regret that “the airship strayed into the United States due to force majeure.” According to CBS News, a senior defense official said that the Defense Department was confident that it was a Chinese surveillance balloon.