Berlin on Tuesday said the Chinese military had targeted a laser at a German aircraft taking part in an EU-led mission to protect marine traffic in the Red Sea.
“Endangering German personnel and disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable,” the foreign ministry said on social media, adding that Beijing’s ambassador to Berlin had been summoned for talks.
The German aircraft was targeted “without reason or prior contact … during a routine operation” over the Red Sea while taking part in the European Union’s Aspides mission, a spokesman for the German defence ministry said.
The aircraft in question was a “multi-sensor platform” used as a “flying eye” for reconnaissance.
The Chinese vessel had “taken the risk of endangering [German] personnel and equipment”, the spokesman added.
The German aircraft’s mission was subsequently abandoned following the encounter and returned to a base in Djibouti.
