Germany summoned China’s ambassador to Berlin after a Chinese ship aimed a laser at a German navy plane throughout an EU mission within the Red Sea, officers stated.
The endangerment of German personnel and the disruption of the EU’s Aspides mission have been fully unacceptable, the Foreign Office stated on the platform X on Tuesday.
The Aspides mission goals to guard business ships within the Red Sea from the Houthi militia working out of Yemen. Germany is contributing about 30 troopers to the mission.
Germany has been collaborating since October 2024 with an plane that contributes because the mission’s “flying eye” for in depth reconnaissance of the maritime space, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry stated.
The information collected contributes to the situational consciousness for the mission management and the collaborating companions, it added.
This plane, generally known as the Multi-Sensor Platform (MSP), is operated by a civilian service supplier, based on the ministry. Personnel from the German Armed Forces, or Bundeswehr, are concerned.
“The MSP aircraft deployed for maritime surveillance in the Red Sea was targeted with a laser by a Chinese warship, which has been encountered multiple times in the maritime area, without reason and prior contact during a routine operational flight as part of Aspides over the Red Sea,” stated the spokesman.
“By deploying the laser, the warship risked endangering people and material.”
The incident occurred on July 2, dpa has learnt. Illuminating with a laser is taken into account at the very least a gesture of risk within the navy.
The flight was reportedly aborted as a precautionary measure, the spokesman reported.
The plane landed safely on the contingent’s base in Djibouti. Flight operations have since resumed.
Source: www.dailysabah.com