By Junex Doronio
MANILA — The National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) on Saturday (24 August 2024) revealed that a People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLA-AF) fighter jet launched flares towards a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft on patrol over Pag-asa Island earlier this week.
In a statement, the NTF-WPS said PLA-AF 63270 executed dangerous maneuvers and deployed flares multiple times a “dangerously” close distance of approximately 15 meters from BFAR’s Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft while conducting a maritime domain awareness flight near Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.
“The Chinese fighter jet was in no way provoked, yet its actions demonstrated hazardous intent that jeopardized the safety of the personnel onboard the BFAR aircraft,” the NTF-WPS said.
On Thursday (22 August 2024), China again launched flares from its military base on Zamora Reef (Subi Reef) during a patrol with the Philippine Coast Guard against poachers in the Kalayaan Island Group.
“While the BFAR was conducting the routine patrol, the PRC unjustifiably deployed flares from Zamora Reef,” the NTF-WPS said.
It underscored that the incidents were the third air harassment of China this month after two Chinese air force’s multi-role fighters also conducted dangerous maneuvers and dropped flares against the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) patrol aircraft.
ia/mnm
