Australia’s Department of Defence press release
The laser was detected as emanating from a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel. Illumination of the aircraft by the Chinese vessel is a serious safety incident.
Acts like this have the potential to endanger lives.
We strongly condemn unprofessional and unsafe military conduct.
These actions could have endangered the safety and lives of the ADF personnel.
Such actions are not in keeping with the standards we expect of professional militaries.
The vessel, in company with another PLAN ship, was sailing east through the Arafura Sea at the time of the incident. Both ships have since transited through the Torres Strait and are in the Coral Sea.
