A PHILIPPINE Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft conducting a maritime domain awareness flight over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea was targeted with multiple flares fired by Chinese forces on Sept. 7, the PCG said on Thursday, calling the incident a threat to flight safety.
The unarmed aircraft was challenged over the radio by Chinese forces occupying Subi Reef before flares were fired in its direction, the PCG said in a statement posted by spokesman Jay Tristan Tarriela in his Facebook account.
“Flares were fired at an unarmed Coast Guard aircraft,” PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said in the statement. “The PCG does not need to characterize this behavior.”
Chinese forces occupying Mischief Reef also fired flares at the aircraft, the PCG said.
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