China apologizes to Costa Rica for lost hot air balloon 'incident'

China has apologized to Costa Rica after one of its hot air balloons flew over the country, following a similar incident in the US.

Chinese hot air balloon. Photo: Reuters

Reuters news agency quoted a brief statement from Costa Rica's Foreign Ministry on February 6 saying that the Chinese government admitted that one of its balloons had flown over Costa Rica and the Chinese Embassy in San Jose apologized for the incident, while affirming that the vehicle was only focused on scientific research, mainly weather.

Chinese officials told Costa Rican authorities that the balloon had deviated from its original course and that its ability to correct the error was limited, the statement said.

Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said the balloon discovered in Latin America was for civilian use.

Last Sunday (February 5), the head of Costa Rica’s civil aviation agency said local officials received reports of a hot air balloon flying over the country on February 2. A day earlier, the Colombian military issued a statement saying it had seen an object similar to a hot air balloon flying over its territory on February 3.

According to the head of Costa Rica's civil aviation authority, at the time the balloon was spotted, planes were notified but no further action was taken.

The reports of the Chinese balloons came as a Chinese balloon passed through US airspace and was suspected by Washington of conducting espionage activities. The incident led to a diplomatic and political dispute between the US and China. The US military later shot down the Chinese balloon over the Atlantic Ocean.