STORY: U.S. military fighter aircraft shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon as it floated off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, drawing to a close a dramatic saga that shone a spotlight on worsening Sino-U.S. relations.

Biden said he had issued an order on Wednesday (February 1) to take down the balloon, but the Pentagon had recommended waiting until it could be done over open water.

Multiple fighter and refuelling aircraft were involved in the mission, but only one -- an F-22 fighter jet -- took the shot, using a single AIM-9X missile, a senior U.S. military official said. The balloon was shot down about six nautical miles off the U.S. coast, the official said.