An Australian Navy helicopter operating in international waters near South Korea was forced to take evasive action after a Chinese military jet detonated flares close to it. The incident, which occurred over the weekend in the Yellow Sea, has been described by the Australian Defence Department as "unsafe and unprofessional."
The MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, which had launched from HMAS Hobart, was intercepted by a People's Liberation Army-Air Force (PLA-AF) J-10 aircraft while participating in a UN mission to enforce sanctions against North Korea. The PLA-AF aircraft released flares along the flight path of the Australian helicopter, posing a risk to the aircraft and personnel.
While no injuries or damage were sustained, the Australian government has expressed its concerns directly to the Chinese government. Defence Minister Richard Marles stated that the flares were dropped approximately 300 meters in front of the Seahawk and 60 meters above it, requiring the helicopter to take evasive action to avoid being hit.
This incident follows another recent event where Australian Navy divers were injured in a sonar attack by a Chinese Navy vessel in international waters last November. Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie condemned the Chinese Air Force's actions as "provocative and dangerous," highlighting a pattern of aggressive behavior towards the Australian Defence Force. He called on the Australian government to stand up for its personnel and raise the incident directly with China.