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Canada says ‘unprofessional’ Chinese pilots put air force personnel at risk
- The Canadian Armed Forces complain that PLA aircraft forced Canadian jets to change course while they were conducting UN-sanctioned operations
- They say the Chinese pilots ‘did not adhere to international safety norms’ during a series of encounters in international air space
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Canada’s military has accused Chinese air force pilots of unprofessional and risky behaviour during their recent encounters in international airspace.
The Canadian aircraft involved were deployed in Japan as part of a multinational effort to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea, which has faced international penalties over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programme.
The Canadian Armed Forces said on Wednesday that People’s Liberation Army Air Force “did not adhere to international air safety norms” on several occasions.
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“These interactions are unprofessional and/or put the safety of the [Royal Canadian Air Force] personnel at risk.”
In some instances, the Canadian crew had to quickly modify their flight path to “avoid a potential collision with the intercepting aircraft,” the statement read.
At times, Chinese planes tried to divert Canadian aircraft from their flight path and flew so close that the crew was “very clearly visible,” the statement read.
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