A U.S. military reconnaissance plane was intercepted by two Chinese military aircraft over the South China Sea on Tuesday, a Defense Department spokesperson said Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza said the aircraft was conducting a "routine patrol" in international airspace when it was intercepted by "two tactical aircraft from the People's Republic of China." The fighter jets flew approximately 50 feet away from the U.S. aircraft, a Navy E-P3. Baldanza said the "initial reports characterized the incident as unsafe. Over the past year, DoD has seen improvements in PRC actions, flying in a safe and professional manner." U.S. Pacific Command is investigating the incident.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest ManIn the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliationTalking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
-
Crossword: November 2, 2024The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
