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The Australian government has raised serious concerns regarding the potential harm to their divers in global waters caused by sonar signals from a Chinese destroyer.
According to a statement from Australian defense minister Richard Marles on Saturday, a People’s Liberation Army destroyer from the Navy did not comply with requests to avoid the divers.
The defense minister stated that the Australian Government has conveyed its grave worries to the Chinese Government after an incident deemed as unsafe and unprofessional involving a destroyer from the People’s Liberation Army-Navy.
According to reports, the divers were removing nets that had become tangled around the propellers of the Australian Navy’s HMAS Toowoomba. The ship was carrying out operations within Japan’s exclusive economic zone in international waters.
The Australian Navy frigate allegedly signaled its plan to perform diving exercises using globally recognized signals.
According to Mr Marles, a Chinese vessel came near the Australian warship and released hazardous sonar signals.
He stated that medical evaluations performed after the divers left the water revealed that they had experienced small injuries that were most likely caused by the sonar signals from the Chinese destroyer.
“The top priority for us is the safety and welfare of our personnel in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). We hold all countries, including China, to the standard of conducting their militaries in a professional and secure manner,” stated the minister.
Australia has accused China of increasing assertiveness in the seas, a concern shared by other nations.
In the previous month, a boat from China approached a Philippine patrol ship in the South China Sea at a dangerously close distance of almost 4 meters. This caused concern about a potential dispute over territory.
Earlier this month, a US Navy surveillance aircraft closely monitored as numerous Chinese coast guard and accompanying ships pursued and surrounded Philippine vessels in what is considered a highly volatile situation in the South China Sea.
The United States and its partner nations have sent naval vessels and fighter planes to uphold the principle of freedom of navigation and provide reassurance to allies such as the Philippines.
“According to Mr. Marles, the Defense department has been conducting maritime surveillance operations in the area for many years, adhering to international laws and exercising their freedom of navigation and overflight rights in international waters and airspace.”
Source: independent.co.uk
