I agree...something doesn’t smell right here. They are not saying this story is false in any unequivocal manner at all.
When definitive answers are not forthcoming (”unequivocal” was the word you used) from government officials, the usual reason involves a coverup of some stripe. EVERYONE knows this. So, why can we not get an unequivocal answer to a simple question easily confirmed? Your guess is as good as mine.