North Myrtle Beach sees Navy resupply ship arrive as Chinese balloon recovery continues
Cheryl Ray and Jennifer Craven were enjoying a fresh egg sandwich at Murphy’s by the Ocean on Thursday morning — the start to what ordinarily would be a relaxing day along North Myrtle Beach’s shoreline.
But as they ate, a 60-ton U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion idled in the sand, taking on provisions that would be shuttled back out to sea to assist crews recovering debris from a Chinese spy balloon. The balloon was shot out of the sky on Saturday off the South Carolina coast.
“I’m glad they’re here, and I’m glad they’re doing what they’re doing. You hear about it all the time, but you never see it,” Ray said.
North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley said she couldn’t disclose any logistics about the vessel’s schedule, and inquiries to the U.S. Department of Defense weren’t immediately returned.
The LCAC is a high-speed, over-the-beach, fully amphibious landing craft capable of carrying a 60 to 75 ton payload. It is used to transport the weapons systems, equipment, cargo and personnel of the assault elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force from ship to shore and across the beach, according to the Navy.
Tony Warren, who runs a North Myrtle Beach-based real estate company, gathered along with some friends on the beach shortly after the LCAC’s 8 a.m. landing.
“We’re happy to be Americans, watching all this stuff unfold,” he said. “Wished we’d have shot it down way back yonder instead of over here. It is crazy, it is crazy. I own a real estate company, I’m telling everyone, ‘this is the place to be.’”
In addition to local police and South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers monitoring crowds gathered along the beach to watch the LCAC on Thursday were Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents who are working with the FBI on salvage operations.
Laden with fresh produce, items from nearby Boulineau’s Foods Plus, Chick-Fil-A and even a birthday cake, the LCAC shot back into the water just after 1 p.m. to cheers and chants of “USA!”
Authorities pushed back a crowd of more than 100 to a point roughly 30 feet from where the LCAC powered up.
Within a minute, high velocity propellers thrust the craft several inches off the ground, sending sand and mist across a nearby parking lot.
Miles offshore, surveying ship USNS Pathfinder sailed with the USS Carter Hall, a dock landing ship, along with a Navy explosive ordnance disposal unit, according to earlier Defense Department updates.
Air Force Gen. Glen VenHerck, commander of North American Aerospace Defense, said during a Feb. 6 briefing with reporters, the work ahead to recover all pieces of the balloon will be arduous and likely take months.
“So the USS Carter Hall, a U.S. Navy ship under the command and control of NORTHCOM through my Navy component, now the North, Navy North, led by Admiral Daryl Caudle, they’re on station in the vicinity of the splashdown, and they’ve been collecting debris, category — categorizing the debris since arrival,” VanHerck said in the briefing distributed by the Defense Department.
In his first speech on the House floor, U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, R-7th District, urged Congress to adopt a resolution he co-sponsored condemning China’s use of aerial surveillance to spy on America.
The measure was approved on a 419-0 vote.
“More than 19 million people visit our area to enjoy our beautiful beaches and southern hospitality along more than 60 miles of coast. Myrtle Beach is known for many things, but part of that equation has never been being part of an international incident taking place right off of our shores,” he said Thursday in remarks carried on C-SPAN. “Let me be clear: This was a blatant violation of American sovereignity.”
VanHerck said in his briefing the search field is about 15 football fields long and wide. The Pathfinder is using sonar and other tools to map the entire area.
Other agencies have also been working with the U.S. Navy to recover pieces of the Chinese spy balloon.
This story was originally published February 9, 2023 at 9:52 AM.