The People’s Republic of China has confirmed that the balloon craft that floated over the northern United States was theirs. Thursday, the Pentagon had confirmed that they had spotted what they suspected to be a “Chinese surveillance balloon,” though now China has taken responsibility.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has claimed that the balloon was not supposed to enter US airspace, and that it was a civilian research airship. Though the United States did detect and track the craft as it moved across the country in states such as Montana. It however did not seem to be posing a military or physical threat according to the Pentagon.

According to Fox News China issued the following statement,

“The airship is from China. It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed Friday. “Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course.”

The spokesperson said China regrets the incident.

The statement continued, “The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into US airspace due to force majeure. The Chinese side will continue communicating with the US side and properly handle this unexpected situation caused by force majeure.”