SYDNEY: A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) surveillance plane was intercepted by a Chinese fighter aircraft in the South China Sea region in May, Australia’s Department of Defence said on Sunday (Jun 5).
The RAAF P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft was intercepted by a Chinese J-16 fighter during “routine maritime surveillance activity” in international airspace in the region on May 26, the department said in a statement.
“The intercept resulted in a dangerous manoeuvre which posed a safety threat to the P-8 aircraft and its crew,” it said.
The department said that the Australian government had raised its concerns about the incident with the Chinese government.
China’s embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said that the Chinese jet flew very close in front of the RAAF aircraft and released a “bundle of chaff” containing small pieces of aluminium that were ingested into the Australian aircraft’s engine.
“Quite obviously this is very dangerous,” Marles told ABC television.