Chinese warplane fired flares, endangering Australian Navy helicopters, Canberra says

Seoul, South Korea
CNN
—

Australia has accused a Chinese warplane of firing flares into the path of a naval helicopter over the international waters of the Yellow Sea last weekend, an action Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called “completely unacceptable.”

The Australian MH-60R Seahawk helicopter was on patrol at the time of the incident to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea, the Defense Ministry said in Canberra, adding that the move put the lives of the helicopter crew in danger.

“This was an unsafe maneuver that posed a risk to the aircraft and personnel,” said the statement from Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles.

The Chinese jet “dropped flares about 300 meters (984 feet) in front of the Seahawk helicopter and about 60 meters (197 feet) above it,” Marles said in an interview with CNN affiliate Nine News on Monday.

No damage or injuries were reported, but flares can cause a helicopter to be shot down if they hit and damage its rotor blades or if they enter its engines.

The incident is the latest in a growing list of confrontations between China’s military and other nations in international waters and comes as Canberra and Beijing seek rapprochement after a painful few years of trade disputes and strained relations.

China defended its military’s action and rejected Australia’s claim that the interception was unsafe.

“Under the guise of implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions, Australian warships and aircraft deliberately approached Chinese airspace to cause trouble and provocation and endanger China’s maritime and air security,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said. told reporters at a regular briefing.

“As a warning, the Chinese military has taken the necessary measures on site. Relevant operations are legal, compliant, professional and secure.”

In a separate statement, China’s defense ministry said the Australian helicopters were conducting “close reconnaissance” during China’s “normal training activities” and called the Chinese defense ministry’s warnings “legitimate”. It also accused Australia of “spreading false narratives”.

According to the Australian Navy, the MH-60 Seahawk is a twin-engine helicopter with a crew of three.

According to a statement from the Australian Department of Defense, the Australian helicopter was operating in international waters of the Yellow Sea from the destroyer HMAS Hobart as part of Operation Argos, Canberra’s contribution to a multinational effort to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea.

Albanese described the Chinese actions as “totally unacceptable” in a television interview on Tuesday.

“They are in international waters and airspace working to ensure that the sanctions that the world has imposed through the United Nations against North Korea due to its intransigent and reckless behavior are enforced,” the prime minister told CNN affiliate Nine News.

“They should not have been put at risk for this behavior,” Albanese said of the Australian crew.

Albanese said “appropriate diplomatic representations” had been made with Beijing.

“We have just made it very clear to China that this is unprofessional and unacceptable,” he said.

The incident was similar to an encounter between a Chinese fighter jet and a Canadian military helicopter over the South China Sea in late October, when flares were also fired in the helicopter’s flight path.

“The risk to a helicopter in this case is that the flares penetrate the rotor blades or engines. Therefore, this was deemed both unsafe and non-standard and unprofessional,” Maj. Rob Millen, air officer aboard the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ottawa, told CNN after the incident in October.

After that incident, China defended its actions and accused the Canadian Forces of carrying out unspecified “malicious and provocative actions with ulterior motives.”

Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton called on Albanese to call Chinese leader Xi Jinping to express Canberra’s concerns about the latest incident but also a long list of Chinese encounters with Australian and allied aircraft and ships.

“At some point there will be a misjudgment and a member of the Australian Defense Force will lose their life. This is a tragic circumstance that must be avoided at all costs,” Dutton said in an interview with Nine News.

“Someone flying this jet or someone on the deck of a Chinese naval vessel will make a miscalculation. Something is going to happen, and it’s not just Australia that’s worried about that, but also the Philippines, Japan, of course the United States, and many other countries in the region that are very worried about these continued provocative and completely unnecessary acts. ”

Previous controversial and potentially dangerous incidents between Australia and China include an encounter in waters near Japan last November, when Australia said a Chinese warship used sonar waves to harass Australian navy divers in the water who were trying to Untangling fishing nets from the propellers of the frigate HMAS Toowoomba. This resulted in minor injuries to the divers.

According to Australian public broadcaster ABC, Australian Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond raised the Toowoomba incident while meeting Chinese Navy Admiral Hu Zhongming at an international naval symposium in Qingdao.

“I have sought his approval to prioritize the safety of our respective naval personnel and prevent a repeat of this incident,” ABC quoted Hammond as saying.

In June 2022, a Chinese fighter jet fired flares and chaff that penetrated at least one of the two engines of an Australian P-8A flying in international waters over the South China Sea, Australia said.

In early 2022, Australia said a Chinese warship used a laser to “illuminate” an Australian P-8A aircraft in waters north of Australia.

Pilots targeted by laser attacks reported disorienting flashes, pain, cramps and spots in their vision, and even temporary blindness.

China has denied wrongdoing in all incidents and said its forces act in accordance with international law while protecting Chinese interests.

This story has been updated with additional developments.