Australia complains to China after encounter between military helicopters

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.

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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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