China has released new footage showing a tense aerial encounter between a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-Navy) Z-9 helicopter and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft conducting a Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) flight over Bajo De Masinloc.
At approximately 0700 hours, the BFAR, accompanied by personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and photojournalists, conducted an MDA flight within territorial airspace. At 0839 hours, a PLA-Navy Z-9 helicopter, identified by tail number 68, carried out dangerous maneuvers towards the BFAR aircraft.
The helicopter approached as close as three meters to the aircraft’s port side and above, creating a serious safety risk for those onboard. The actions were in clear violation of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation regulations.
The PCG and BFAR have strongly condemned the incident, reaffirming their commitment to asserting sovereignty, sovereign rights, and maritime jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea. Despite increasing pressure and escalatory actions from China, Philippine authorities remain steadfast in their operations within their recognized territorial waters.
Now Z-9 pov
BFAR crap was intercepted over Nansha Airspace https://t.co/PoksfnUOtT pic.twitter.com/RweNoaVudv
— Húrin (@Hurin92) February 21, 2025
The release of the video by Chinese authorities after the same from BFAR adds a new dimension to ongoing maritime tensions in the region, raising concerns over continued confrontations in contested waters.
Dangerous Encounter with PLA-Navy Helicopter During BFAR Maritime Domain Awareness Flight
At approximately 0700 hours today, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) conducted a Maritime Domain Awareness Flight over the territorial airspace of Bajo De Masinloc,… pic.twitter.com/h371xxnDmX
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) February 18, 2025