MUNCY, Pa. (AP) – An unmanned Army surveillance blimp broke loose from its mooring at a Maryland military facility and floated over Pennsylvania for hours, causing electrical outages as its tether hit power lines.
Two fighter jets were scrambled to follow the 240-foot helium-filled blimp on Wednesday. It eventually came down near Muncy, a small town about 80 miles north of Harrisburg, the state capital. No injuries were reported.
The blimp, fitted with sensitive defense technology, escaped from the military’s Aberdeen Proving Ground around 12:20 p.m. Authorities say it drifted northward, climbing to about 16,000 feet. It covered about 150 miles over about 3½ hours.
About 27,000 utility customers in two counties were left without power. Electricity was restored to most people within a few hours.
It’s not known why the blimp broke loose.