By Karina Tsui, CNN
(CNN) — Strong winds from a recent storm in the south sent a US Customs and Border Protection surveillance blimp flying nearly 600 miles across Texas.
The blimp – resembling a while-hot air balloon – was dislodged from its base in South Padre Island, a beach town on the southern coast of Texas, around 3:15 p.m. local time Monday due to “a severe wind event,” US Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations department said in a statement.
Officials were at first unable to locate the blimp, known as a Tethered Aerostat System, after its communications were lost due to damage from winds. It urged the public to help find it.
On Tuesday, Quinlan Texas Fire and Rescue in Hunt County found the blimp 30 miles east of Dallas, the department said.
The incident is being investigated by Air and Marine Operations, as well as federal, state and local officials, it added.
CNN has reached out to South Hunt County Fire and Rescue.
Tethered Aerostat Systems are used by Customs and Border officials to track “suspicious air traffic” along the southwest border, according to an official fact sheet. These helium-filled systems are attached to the ground, can be as long as 208.5 feet and can weigh up to 2,400 pounds.
Video obtained by CNN affiliate WFAA shows the blimp rotating downwards from the sky, before it crashed and folded over a power pole.
Clay Hinton told WFAA he was initially confused about what the big white body of material could be.
“Finally, I was like what is this? It’s not a hot air balloon!” he said, adding he was surprised when federal agents had arrived to look at the aerostat.
A family living near the site of the crash told WFAA the blimp hit their home on the way down, damaging their roof.
“It’s a lot of missing pieces, broken pieces,” 9-year-old Axel said in a video interview with WFAA. “When I looked outside, I was about to cry.”
Geneva Larsey, who lives nearby, told WFAA “four or five wrecker trucks” came to collect the balloon.
“We’re in a small town that no one comes to,” Larsey said. “Who would have thought a little balloon would crash here?”
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