A Chinese warship used a laser to „illuminate“ an Australian Air Force jet in what Canberra called a „serious safety incident“ in a statement released on Saturday.
„Acts like this have the potential to endanger lives, the statement from the Australian Defence Force said, adding it strongly condemns the „unprofessional and unsafe military conduct.“ Pilots targeted by laser attacks have reported disorienting flashes, pain, spasms and spots in their vision and even temporary blindness. „During critical phases of flight when the pilot does not have adequate time to recover, the consequences of laser exposure could be tragic,“ a US Federal Aviation Administration document says. The incident occurred on Tuesday, the statement said, when an Australian P-8A aircraft, a reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare plane, was flying over the Arafura Sea, the body of water between Australia’s Northern Territory and the island of New Guinea to the north.
