Australia warned international airlines flying between Australian airports and New Zealand to beware of Chinese navy warships conducting a live-fire exercise in the Tasman Sea, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday.
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Wong confirmed an Australian Broadcasting Corp. report that regulator Airservices Australia had warned commercial pilots of a potential hazard in airspace between the countries as three Chinese warships conduct exercises off the Australian east coast.
“As a precaution, we have advised airlines with flights planned in the area,” Airservices Australia said in a statement.
“We are also working together to coordinate advice to operators and pilots.”
Several international flights had diverted as a result, ABC reported.
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Qantas and its low-cost arm Jetstar are monitoring the airspace and have temporarily adjusted some flights across the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.
“It would be normal practice where a task group is engaging in exercises for there to be advice given to vessels and aircraft in the area and Airservices Australia is doing what it should do, which is to give that advice,” Wong told ABC.