US Border Patrol Surveillance Blimp Travels 600 Miles Before Crashing in Texas

Strong winds dislodged the unmanned aerostat from its tether in South Padre Island, causing it to crash near Dallas and damage property.

A US Customs and Border Protection surveillance blimp broke free during a severe wind event in South Padre Island, Texas, on Monday afternoon.
The helium-filled aerostat, used to monitor low-altitude air and marine traffic, traveled nearly 600 miles before crashing in Hunt County, Texas, east of Dallas.
The blimp struck power lines and damaged a family's roof in the rural town of Quinlan before being located by local fire and rescue teams on Tuesday.
Federal, state, and local officials are investigating the incident, which occurred after wind gusts up to 75 mph swept through the region.
The Tethered Aerostat Radar System is typically anchored with a nylon fiber cable and controlled by a powered winch, but its tether failed during the storm.