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The top line: A Chinese warplane fired flares in front of an Australian military chopper, with the incident labelled “unsafe and unprofessional”.
The bigger picture: Defence Minister Richard Marles said an Australian Seahawk helicopter was forced to take “evasive action” to prevent being hit by flares launched by a J-10 Chinese Air Force plane.
The flares were dropped about 300 meters in front of the chopper and about 60 meters above it.
The navy aircraft was taking a routine flight and operating from HMAS Hobart as part of an international effort to enforce UN sanctions on North Korea when the incident took place about 7.30pm last Saturday.
Key quotes: “This is a very serious incident,” Marles said. “It was unsafe and it is completely unacceptable.
“The consequence of being hit by the flares would have been significant.”
What else to know: Marles said the helicopter was unaffected and all the crew were safe.
In November, Australian navy divers from HMAS Toowoomba were injured after a Chinese warship issued sonar pulses.
What happens now: The government has formally expressed concerns about the incident to Beijing.
“This kind of aggressive behavior is completely uncalled for and a clear violation of safety protocols. It’s alarming to see such reckless actions being taken in the airspace. The authorities must address this issue seriously.”
As a military spouse, I find this behavior deplorable and highly concerning. The safety of our service members should always be a top priority, and such actions are unprofessional and dangerous. I hope the necessary measures are taken to prevent such incidents from happening again.