Virgin Australia pilot alerts air traffic control to Chinese naval drills in Tasman Sea
scmp.com —
A Virgin Australia pilot informed Airservices Australia about Chinese naval live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea, prompting flight diversions. The Australian air traffic authority was unaware of the drills until the pilot's alert. Rob Sharp, CEO of Airservices Australia, stated the organization learned of the drills shortly before they began. The pilot reported that a foreign warship was conducting live-firing exercises 300 nautical miles off the coast. Following the alert, Airservices Australia quickly issued a hazard warning to commercial pilots. A total of 49 flights were diverted from the area, with continued avoidance over the weekend.