List of high-altitude object events in 2023

Several high-altitude airspace security events were reported in February 2023, initially over North America, then over Latin America, China, and Eastern Europe.

North American sightings

{{OSM Location map

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| caption = Approximate location where objects were shot down over North America

| label1 = Feb 10: Deadhorse, Alaska

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| mark-title1 = Feb 10 Deadhorse, Alaska

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| label2 = Feb 11: Yukon, Canada

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| label3 = Feb 12: Lake Huron

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| mark-title3 = Feb 12: Lake Huron

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| label4 = Feb 4: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

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| mark-title4 = Feb 4: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

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After the sightings of a Chinese balloon in 2023 (later shot down off the coast of South Carolina), the U.S. began more closely scrutinizing its airspace at high altitudes, including by radar enhancements that allowed the U.S. to better categorize and track slower-moving objects.{{Cite web |last1=Long |first1=Colleen |last2=C. Baldor |first2=Lolita |last3=Miller |first3=Zeke |date=2023-02-12 |title='Unidentified object' downed over Lake Huron 1st detected above Montana |url=https://helenair.com/news/local/unidentified-object-downed-over-lake-huron-1st-detected-above-montana/article_4a949209-7724-5668-9e6b-1ce260ce7b53.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230213044039/https://helenair.com/news/local/unidentified-object-downed-over-lake-huron-1st-detected-above-montana/article_4a949209-7724-5668-9e6b-1ce260ce7b53.html |archive-date=2023-02-13 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Helena Independent Record |language=en}}{{Cite news |last1=Lamothe |first1=Dan |last2=Horton |first2=Alex |date=February 14, 2023 |title=Three objects shot down over U.S., Canada may be 'benign' |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/14/missile-misfire-lake-huron-aerial-object/ |url-status=live |access-date=2023-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214182108/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/14/missile-misfire-lake-huron-aerial-object/ |archive-date=February 14, 2023 |issn=0190-8286}} General Glen VanHerck, the commander of NORAD, said that in 2021, up to 98% of raw radar data was not routinely analyzed, because the military aimed to filter out radio signal emanating from flocks of birds or weather balloons (as opposed to potential threats). VanHerck said that the U.S. adjustments to radar monitoring in 2023, after the Chinese balloon intrusion, gave the U.S. "better fidelity on seeing smaller objects." The U.S. radar adjustments and increased vigilance increased the detection of objects.{{cite web |last=Sforza |first=Lauren |date=February 13, 2023 |title=Increase in aerial objects possibly due to 'enhancing radar': US official |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3855157-increase-in-aerial-objects-possibly-due-to-enhancing-radar-us-official/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213105603/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3855157-increase-in-aerial-objects-possibly-due-to-enhancing-radar-us-official/ |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=The Hill}} It remains unknown when state-actor balloon incursions had begun.{{cite web |last1=Tsirkin |first1=Julie |last2=Kube |first2=Courtney |last3=Concepcion |first3=Summer |last4=De Luce |first4=Dan |date=February 12, 2023 |title=U.S. military shoots down unidentified object over Lake Huron |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/us-military-shot-unidentified-object-lake-huron-rcna70289 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213204712/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/us-military-shot-unidentified-object-lake-huron-rcna70289 |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=NBC News}}

On February 14, after unidentified high-altitude objects had been detected and shot down over northern Alaska, Yukon, and Lake Huron, White House spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. Intelligence Community "will not dismiss as a possibility that these could be balloons that were simply tied to commercial or research entities and therefore benign. That very well could be, or could emerge, as a leading explanation here." The downing of the Yukon object, on February 11, 2023, marked the first deployment of NORAD to down an aerial object within the 64-year history of the US-Canadian aerospace warning and air sovereignty organization.{{cite news |last1=Alba |first1=Monica |last2=Romero |first2=Dennis |date=February 11, 2023 |title=U.S. shoots down unidentified object in Canadian airspace |work=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trudeau-ordered-takedown-unidentified-object-canadian-airspace-speakin-rcna70261 |url-status=live |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213074042/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trudeau-ordered-takedown-unidentified-object-canadian-airspace-speakin-rcna70261 |archive-date=February 13, 2023}} The objects shot down over northern Alaska, Yukon, and Lake Huron were all smaller than the Chinese balloon shot down over South Carolina.{{Cite news |last=Matza |first=Max |date=2023-02-14 |title=Chinese balloon sensors recovered from ocean, says US |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64633705 |url-status=live |access-date=2023-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214204827/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64633705 |archive-date=February 14, 2023}} A report by The Guardian on 17 February suggested that one of the objects "may have been amateur hobbyists’ $12 balloon."{{Cite news |last=Luscombe |first=Richard |date=2023-02-17 |title=Object downed by US missile may have been amateur hobbyists' $12 balloon |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/17/object-us-military-shot-down-amateur-hobbyists-balloon |access-date=2023-02-19 |issn=0261-3077}}

When asked about possible extraterrestrial origin of the three objects downed over North America between February 9–12, General VanHerck said he personally had not "ruled out anything", but he deferred to U.S. intelligence experts.{{cite news |last1=Ali |first1=Idrees |last2=Stewart |first2=Phil |title=Ruling out aliens? Senior U.S. general says not ruling out anything yet |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ruling-out-aliens-senior-us-general-says-not-ruling-out-anything-yet-2023-02-13/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |publisher=Reuters |date=2022-02-13}}

Recovery operations

Since several of the objects were downed in relatively inaccessible locations, ranging from sea ice off the Arctic Ocean coast of Alaska to remote alpine terrain in Yukon and deep US-Canada boundary waters in the middle of Lake Huron, recovery efforts have required considerable amounts of coordination and care.{{cite news |last1=Nann Burke |first1=Melissa |last2=Beggin |first2=Riley |date=February 13, 2023 |title=White House: Shot-down object likely in deep waters of Lake Huron |work=The Detroit News |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/02/13/recovery-of-shot-down-object-ufo-in-lake-huron-hampered-by-choppy-waters-elissa-slotkin/69898750007/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214064742/https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/02/13/recovery-of-shot-down-object-ufo-in-lake-huron-hampered-by-choppy-waters-elissa-slotkin/69898750007/ |archive-date=February 14, 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Otis |first=Daniel |date=February 13, 2023 |title=What we know about the search for two flying objects shot down over Yukon and near Ontario |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/what-we-know-about-the-search-for-two-flying-objects-shot-down-over-yukon-and-near-ontario-1.6272475 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214035127/https://beta.ctvnews.ca/national/canada/2023/2/13/1_6272475.amp.html |archive-date=February 14, 2023 |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=CTV News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Britzky |first1=Haley |last2=Bertrand |first2=Natasha |author-link2=Natasha Bertrand |last3=Pelish |first3=Aaron |date=February 11, 2023 |title=What we know about the unidentified object shot down over Alaska {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/politics/unidentified-object-alaska-military-latest/index.html |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212145915/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/politics/unidentified-object-alaska-military-latest/index.html |url-status=live }}

On February 16, 2023, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced that the search for the Lake Huron object had been suspended due to deteriorating weather and low chance of recovery.{{cite news|url=https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2023/lake-huron-search-debris-suspended-search-efforts-continue-yukon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217011712/https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2023/lake-huron-search-debris-suspended-search-efforts-continue-yukon |archive-date=2023-02-17 |access-date=2023-02-17 |date=2023-02-16 |title=Lake Huron search for debris suspended, search efforts continue in Yukon |publisher=Royal Canadian Mounted Police}}

On February 16, 2023 at about 11 a.m., a suspected weather balloon believed to have originated in China was discovered at a shooting range on Dongyin, Lienchiang, Taiwan.{{cite web

|date=February 16, 2023

|last=Yeh

|first=Joseph

|title=Taiwan military finds Chinese weather balloon debris on frontline islet

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216141937/https://focustaiwan.tw/cross-strait/202302160017

|archivedate=16 February 2023

|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/cross-strait/202302160017

|work=Focus Taiwan}}

On February 18, 2023, it was reported that the searches for the Alaska, Yukon and Lake Huron objects had all been abandoned.{{cite news |date=2023-02-18 |title=US and Canada abandon search for three flying objects shot down |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64687038 |archive-date=February 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225131615/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64687038 |url-status=live }}

Documents released in November 2024 revealed that debris from the Lake Huron object had been recovered and that the object was "from a company who sells weather monitoring equipment."{{cite news|url=https://nbcmontana.com/news/nation-world/ufo-shot-down-by-us-fighter-jet-found-on-lake-hurons-shoreline-north-america-us-f-16-fighter-jet-octagon-shaped-missile-freedom-of-information-coast-guard-weather-monitoring-equipment-chinese-surveillance-balloon|title=UFO shot down by US fighter jet found on Lake Huron's shoreline|last=Fishman|first=Taylor|date=2024-11-16|work=NBC Montana|access-date=18 November 2024}}

List of events

class="wikitable"

!Detected

!Shot down

!Location(s)

!Incident

!Circumstances

!{{refh}}

January 28, 2023

|February 4, 2023

{{Flagicon|US}} USAF F-22

|Alaska, Western Canada, and contiguous U.S.

|2023 Chinese balloon incident

|A Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon transited Canadian and U.S. airspace before being shot down off the coast of South Carolina by the U.S. Air Force on February 4.

|{{cite news |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Chinese spy balloon over US is weather device says Beijing |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64515033 |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206203218/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64515033 |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Matthew |last2=Pollard |first2=James |date=February 5, 2023 |title=Eyes on the sky as Chinese balloon shot down over Atlantic |language=en-US |work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-north-carolina-302134762e8aeae53314ebd9fdb327e4 |url-status=live |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205125306/https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-north-carolina-302134762e8aeae53314ebd9fdb327e4 |archive-date=February 5, 2023}}{{Cite news |last1=Baldor |first1=Lolita C. |last2=Copp |first2=Tara |date=February 4, 2023 |title=China balloon: Many questions about suspected spy in the sky |work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53 |url-status=live |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209010911/https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53 |archive-date=February 9, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Hill |first1=Randall |last2=Stewart |first2=Phil |last3=Mason |first3=Jeff |date=February 4, 2023 |title=U.S. fighter jet shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon |language=en-US |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-says-us-is-going-take-care-of-chinese-balloon-2023-02-04/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204224852/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-says-us-is-going-take-care-of-chinese-balloon-2023-02-04/ |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}

February 2, 2023

|{{N/A|—}}

|Costa Rica, Colombia, and Venezuela

|2023 Latin America balloon incident

|A Chinese high-altitude balloon flew over Costa Rica, Colombia, and Venezuela. A spokesperson for the Chinese government confirmed the balloon was theirs and said that it was used for "flight tests" and was blown off-course.

|{{Cite news |last1=Gregorian |first1=Dareh |last2=Kube |first2=Courtney |last3=Gains |first3=Mosheh |last4=Richards |first4=Zoë |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Another Chinese 'surveillance balloon' is flying over Latin America, Pentagon says |language=en |work=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/chinese-balloon-cause-civilian-injuries-deaths-rcna69052 |url-status=live |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204014550/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/chinese-balloon-cause-civilian-injuries-deaths-rcna69052 |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}

February 9, 2023

|February 10, 2023

{{Flagicon|US}} USAF F-22

|Alaska (North Slope)

|2023 Alaska high-altitude object

|A high-altitude object entered U.S. airspace on February 9 and was shot down over the Beaufort Sea by the U.S. Air Force. The Department of Defense said it was the size of a small car and flying northeast at approximately {{convert|40000|ft}}, posing a risk to civilian flight.

|{{Cite news |last1=Shalal |first1=Andrea |last2=Holland |first2=Steve |last3=Stewart |first3=Phil |last4=Stewart |first4=Phil |date=February 11, 2023 |title=U.S. shoots down unidentified object flying above Alaska |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-says-it-shot-down-object-over-alaska-size-small-car-2023-02-10/ |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211050122/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-says-it-shot-down-object-over-alaska-size-small-car-2023-02-10/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last1=Gittleson |first1=Ben |date=February 10, 2023 |title=US shoots down unknown 'high-altitude object' over Alaska, White House says |pages= |website=ABC News |publisher= |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-shoots-high-altitude-object-alaska-white-house/story?id=97040022 |url-status=live |access-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210232751/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-shoots-high-altitude-object-alaska-white-house/story?id=97040022 |archive-date=February 10, 2023}}{{Cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Helene |author-link=Helene Cooper |last2=Barnes |first2=Julian E. |last3=Wong |first3=Edward |date=February 10, 2023 |title=U.S. Shoots Down High-Altitude Object Over Alaska |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/us/politics/unidentified-object-shot-down-alaska.html |url-access=limited |access-date=February 11, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210194233/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/us/politics/unidentified-object-shot-down-alaska.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Aratani |first=Lauren |date=February 11, 2023 |title=Mystery surrounds what exactly was object US jet shot down over Alaska |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/11/alaska-mystery-flying-object-us-chinese-balloon |url-status=live |access-date=2023-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213035838/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/11/alaska-mystery-flying-object-us-chinese-balloon |archive-date=2023-02-13 |issn=0029-7712}}

|February 11, 2023

{{Flagicon|US}} USAF F-22

|Yukon

|2023 Yukon high-altitude object

|Canadian and U.S. authorities ordered the downing of an unidentified object over Yukon, and a U.S. Air Force F-22 (part of the joint U.S.-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command) shot down the object in Canadian airspace.

|{{cite web |last1=Newton |first1=Paula |last2=Britzky |first2=Haley |date=February 11, 2023 |title=US jet shoots down 'unidentified object' over northern Canada |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/politics/norad-additional-object-northern-canada/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211221434/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/politics/norad-additional-object-northern-canada/index.html |archive-date=February 11, 2023 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |website=CNN}}

February 11, 2023

|February 12, 2023

{{Flagicon|US}}{{Nbsp}}MNANG{{Nbsp}} F-16

|Alberta, Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, Lake Huron

|2023 Lake Huron high-altitude object

|An octagonal object with strings hanging from it was detected over northern Montana, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at {{convert|20000|ft}}.

Airspace was temporarily closed in the Lake Huron area, where the object was shot down by the US Air Force and National Guard, falling into Canadian waters.

|{{cite web |last1=Liebermann |first1=Oren |last2=Atwood |first2=Kylie |last3=Bertrand |first3=Natasha |last4=Saenz |first4=Arlette |last5=Mattingly |first5=Phil |last6=Britzky |first6=Haley |date=February 12, 2023 |title=US military shoots down high-altitude object over Lake Huron on Sunday |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/12/politics/lake-huron-high-altitude-object/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213034412/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/12/politics/lake-huron-high-altitude-object/index.html |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |website=CNN}}{{cite news |date=February 12, 2023 |title='Octagonal' object shot down by military aircraft over Lake Huron, officials confirm to ABC News |publisher=ABC7 Chicago |url=https://abc7chicago.com/lake-michigan-flight-restrictions-airspace-closed-department-of-defense/12804806/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212233040/https://abc7chicago.com/lake-michigan-flight-restrictions-airspace-closed-department-of-defense/12804806/ |archive-date=February 12, 2023}}{{Cite web |last1=Long |first1=Colleen |last2=C. Baldor |first2=Lolita |last3=Miller |first3=Zeke |date=February 12, 2023 |title='Unidentified object' downed over Lake Huron 1st detected above Montana |url=https://helenair.com/news/local/unidentified-object-downed-over-lake-huron-1st-detected-above-montana/article_4a949209-7724-5668-9e6b-1ce260ce7b53.html |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Helena Independent Record |language=en |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213041215/https://helenair.com/news/local/unidentified-object-downed-over-lake-huron-1st-detected-above-montana/article_4a949209-7724-5668-9e6b-1ce260ce7b53.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last1=McLeary |first1=Paul |last2=Olander |first2=Olivia |last3=Seligman |first3=Lara |last4=Ward |first4=Alexander |date=February 12, 2023 |title=U.S. downs unidentified object over Lake Huron, third destroyed since Chinese spy balloon |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/12/intel-mike-turner-china-balloons-00082451 |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Politico |language=en |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213041931/https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/12/intel-mike-turner-china-balloons-00082451 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Tasker |first1=John Paul |date=February 13, 2023 |title=Trudeau says flying objects brought down over the past week may be linked |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-unidentified-objects-1.6746708 |url-status=live |access-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213235141/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-unidentified-objects-1.6746708 |archive-date=February 13, 2023 }}

February 12, 2023

|{{N/A|—}}

|Rizhao

|2023 Shandong high-altitude object

|Chinese authorities said they detected an unidentified object over the Yellow Sea, in waters near Qingdao, and were planning to shoot it down due to proximity to Jianggezhuang, a major PLA naval base.

|{{cite web |last1=Shoaib |first1=Alia |date=February 12, 2023 |title=Chinese authorities said they were preparing to shoot down an 'unidentified flying object' spotted near the Yellow Sea |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/china-preparing-shoot-down-unidentified-flying-object-2023-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212160845/https://www.businessinsider.com/china-preparing-shoot-down-unidentified-flying-object-2023-2 |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |website=Business Insider}}{{cite web |last1=Watt |first1=Louise |date=February 12, 2023 |title=China prepares to shoot down unknown flying object near coast |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/02/12/china-prepares-shoot-unknown-flying-object-near-coast/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213035838/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/02/12/china-prepares-shoot-unknown-flying-object-near-coast/ |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |website=The Telegraph}}{{cite web |last1=Rahman |first1=Khaleda |date=February 12, 2023 |title=Now China Says It Has Spotted a UFO |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/now-china-says-it-has-spotted-a-ufo/ar-AA17oBEm?li=BBnbcA1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212211215/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/now-china-says-it-has-spotted-a-ufo/ar-AA17oBEm?li=BBnbcA1 |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |website=MSN}}{{cite news |date=February 12, 2023 |title=China Ready to Down Object Flying Near Naval Base: Paper |work=Bloomberg News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-12/china-spots-unidentified-object-flying-near-port-city-paper |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212204818/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-12/china-spots-unidentified-object-flying-near-port-city-paper |archive-date=February 12, 2023 }}

February 14, 2023

|{{N/A|—}}

|Southeast Romania, and Moldova

|2023 Moldova and Romania high-altitude objects

|The Romanian Air Force unsuccessfully attempted to intercept an unidentified object detected roughly {{convert|36000|ft}} above Southeast Romania.

Neighboring Moldova briefly closed its airspace due to a balloon-like object.

|{{cite news |date=February 14, 2023 |title=Romania detects suspicious weather balloon in its airspace, ministry says |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romania-detects-suspicious-weather-balloon-its-airspace-ministry-says-2023-02-14/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214161836/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romania-detects-suspicious-weather-balloon-its-airspace-ministry-says-2023-02-14/ |archive-date=February 14, 2023 }}{{Cite news |last= |date=February 14, 2023 |title=Moldova briefly shuts airspace after report of balloon-like object |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldova-has-temporarily-closed-its-airspace-national-airliner-says-2023-02-14/ |access-date=2023-02-14 |archive-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214214951/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldova-has-temporarily-closed-its-airspace-national-airliner-says-2023-02-14/ |url-status=live }}

February 16, 2023

|{{N/A|—}}

|Shijiazhuang

|2023 Hebei high-altitude object

|Shijiazhuang Airport, serving Hebei's provincial capital, was shuttered for two hours due to local airspace "being occupied" by an unidentified flying object. Government sources later stated that the object was a balloon but provided no further follow-up, leading to a drop in domestic Chinese stocks.

|{{cite news |last1=Koetse |first1=Manya |title=Netizens Puzzled after Balloon in Shijiazhuang Sky Creates Flight Disruptions |url=https://www.whatsonweibo.com/netizens-puzzled-after-balloon-in-shijiazhuang-sky-creates-flight-disruptions/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |publisher=What's on Weibo |date=16 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216152153/https://www.whatsonweibo.com/netizens-puzzled-after-balloon-in-shijiazhuang-sky-creates-flight-disruptions/ |archive-date=16 February 2023}}

February 19, 2023

|{{N/A|—}}

|Pacific Ocean, northeast of Hawaii

|2023 Pacific Ocean high-altitude object

|American air traffic control from the Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center reported that a large white balloon had been reported to be flying at an altitude of roughly {{convert|40,000 to 50,000|ft}} over the Pacific Ocean, about {{convert|594|mi}} northeast of Honolulu, United States.

|{{cite news |date=February 14, 2023 |title= 'Large white balloon' spotted northeast of Hawaii |work= BNO News |url=https://bnonews.com/index.php/2023/02/large-white-balloon-northeast-of-hawaii/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220023549/https://bnonews.com/index.php/2023/02/large-white-balloon-northeast-of-hawaii/ |archive-date=20 February 2023}}

April–May, 2023

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|Hawaii

|2023 Hawaii high-altitude object

|The balloon flew over parts of Hawaii and was heading towards Mexico.

|{{cite web |last1=Kube |first1=Courtney |last2=Lee |first2=Carol E. |title=U.S. military is tracking another mysterious balloon |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-military-tracking-another-mysterious-balloon-rcna82300 |website=NBC News |access-date=May 1, 2023 |date=May 1, 2023}}