People have raised concerns over the sighting of drones in New Jersey(Image: ABC)

Mysterious drone sightings spark 'growing concern' amid fears of Chinese and Russian spy craft

The US has seen numerous instances of flying objects hovering in the skies above numerous states with one governor stating he had "growing concern" about drone sightings

by · The Mirror

Politicians have demanded answers following frequent appearances of multiple large drones amid concerns the incidents are being downplayed.

The Democrat governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy shared a letter to President Joe Biden on Friday where he wrote about "growing concern" following numerous sightings of drones and unexplained flying objects seen in the skies above the state since mid-November. It comes amid mounting frustration that central government is downplaying the incidents.

The letter, shared on X/Twitter said: "I write with growing concern about reports of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in and around New Jersey airspace...Since November 18th, New Jersey State Police have received reports of UAS sightings in our airspace. Existing laws limit the ability of state and local law enforcement to counter UAS, and at my request, Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas briefed my administration and our Congressional delegation on actions the agency would take to learn more about the reported UAS activity.

"His team, as well as your Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, have been exceptional partners in trying to unearth the cause of these reported sightings. A team from the Federal Beurau of Investigation (FBI) has been leading the interagency investigation and we are appreciative of their attention to this matter.

"While I am sincerely grateful for your administration's leadership in addressing this concerning issue, it has become apparent that more resources are needed to fully understand what is behind this activity." Politicians and police have become concerned about increased numbers of drone sightings with almost 50 being reported on Sunday night, NJ.com reported.

The White House has said there is little concern about the drones( Image: CBS)

The White House said on Thursday tat they were mostly "manned aircraft...being operated lawfully." Some reported sightings claimed that car-sized drones, flying over sensitive military installations and infrastructure such as railway stations.

Both the White House and FBI have said they cannot fully explain the origin of the drones and have stated they do not believe it to be sinister. John Kirby, a national security spokesperson for the Biden administration told reporters during a Thursday press briefing: "We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus."

The case comes amid heightened concern of objects flying above the US, in particular following reports of "Chinese spy balloons." In 2023, the US military tracked suspected Chinese surveillance balloons over the country.

Dozens of drone sighting have been reported since mid-November( Image: AP)

The high-altitude spy balloons were tracked with one being shot down off the coast of North Carolina. The balloon is part of an enormous aerial programme linked to Beijing's military and has targeted over 40 countries, the Biden administration reported.

Republicans hit out at Biden for not acting sooner to down the balloon. On Capitol Hill, the House voted unanimously to condemn China for a "brazen violation" of US sovereignty and efforts to "deceive the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns."