Germany accuses China of targeting its plane with laser
What's the story
The German government has accused the Chinese military of targeting its aircraft with a laser during a European Union operation in the Red Sea. The incident, which took place early July, involved a reconnaissance aircraft that was part of the EU's ASPIDES mission. This mission aims to protect maritime security and freedom of navigation in the region. "The endangerment of German personnel and the disruption of the mission are completely unacceptable," the German foreign office said on Tuesday morning.
Diplomatic response
Germany summoned Chinese ambassador
In response to the incident, Germany's foreign ministry had summoned the Chinese ambassador. The German defense ministry said that a Chinese warship had laser-targeted their aircraft without prior communication. "By using the laser, the warship put at risk the safety of personnel and material," the spokesperson said, adding the mission flight was forced to abort its mission but landed safely in Djibouti.
Mission details
'Flying eye' deployed since October 2024
The Multi-Sensor Platform (MSP), also known as the "flying eye," has been deployed in ASPIDES since October 2024. It is operated by a civilian commercial service provider with German armed forces personnel involved. The data collected by this platform is vital for partner awareness and maritime security efforts. The deployment of the MSP in ASPIDES has since resumed.
Incident details
Incident near Yemen's coast
While the precise location where the attack took place was not specified, German outlet Der Spiegel said the incident took place near the coast of Yemen. The ASPIDES mission includes multiple EU member countries and aims to protect vessels from Yemen's Houthi militants. The other EU member countries contributing to the mission include Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, and Sweden.