An alleged Chinese ballistic missile launched from a submarine narrowly missed hitting a passenger plane, forcing the plane to make an immediate U-turn.
Allegiant pilot John Carter posted footage on Facebook that appears to show the pilot’s view from the cockpit as a missile launches from the sea and flies through the clouds, leaving a long contrail.
While watching the missile fly by, the pilots can be heard chatting.
The video, according to John, was sent by a friend who claimed to be working for a foreign airline while flying over Sanya in the South China Sea.
While flying over the South China Sea, the pilots witnessed a missile launch from the sea and land on their intended flight path.
“Air Traffic Control gave them a last-minute hectic call — ‘turn left 90 degrees immediately,’ he wrote.
“To their surprise, a sea-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) emerged from the sea beneath their previously planned path!”
John suspected a missile submarine launch by the People’s Liberation Army Navy, with “very little regard” for commercial air traffic in the area.
The pilots were flying on a Boeing 777 trans-oceanic flight, he said.
H I Sutton, a submarine expert, examined the video and concluded that it was likely launched from a Chinese submarine.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
H.I., a submarine expert, shared the video as well. “From a cursory look,” Sutton said, “the footage appears credible.”
It’s believed that no Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) were sent out to warn aircraft that a missile launch was planned, implying that the test was done in secret.
On Thursday, May 19, the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration issued a public notice announcing that military officials will conduct a five-day military training exercise until Monday, May 23.
On a trans-oceanic Boeing 777 flight, the pilots were killed.
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
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They blocked all entry to a 100-square-kilometer area.
“Wow, total disregard for life!” exclaimed one of the stunned viewers.
“Perhaps launch a very small satellite for observation,” another person suggested. China has recently arrived with a large amount of new technology.”
A third added, “That could’ve been a really bad situation!”