’Fess to Latin Amer. ‘spy fly’

Chinese officials have admitted to owning the second spy balloon spotted over Latin America last week, which they claimed was also blown offcourse like the device shot down over US waters.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Monday that the balloon over Latin America was an unmanned research airship that had its course derailed by the weather, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“This airship seriously strayed from its planned route and accidentally entered the skies over Latin America and the Caribbean,” Mao said, according to the outlet.

She did not address what areas the balloon was supposed to be observing.

Pentagon officials announced the sighting of the Latin American balloon on Friday, one day after they confirmed that a similar object had been detected over sensitive areas of the western US.

The US balloon subsequently traced a path across the country before it was shot down off the coast of Myrtle Beach, SC, on Saturday.

While US officials maintain that the balloons are part of a covert Chinese surveillance operation, Chinese spokespeople insist that the devices are part of a civilian research effort.