SYDNEY, March 6 (Reuters) – Australia has raised concerns with China following an “unsafe and unprofessional” encounter between two military helicopters, the defence department said on Friday.
An Australian military helicopter was flying over international waters in the Yellow Sea when it was intercepted by a Chinese helicopter on Wednesday, a statement said.
The Chinese helicopter matched the Australian aircraft’s altitude before “closing in to an unsafe distance”, increasing speed and then rolling towards it, requiring the Australian crew to take “evasive action”.
“This was an unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre that posed a risk to our aircraft and its personnel,” the statement said.
Australia was undertaking a routine patrol in the Yellow Sea as part of the international effort to enforce United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea, it said.
No injuries were reported in the encounter between the People’s Liberation Army-Navy helicopter and the aircraft of the Australian Defence Force.
The incident is the latest in a series of military encounters involving China that Australia has called out publicly in similar terms.
In October, it also criticised as “unsafe and unprofessional” the actions of a Chinese fighter jet that dropped flares near one of its maritime patrol planes.
The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Christine Chen in Sydney; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
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