Source: The Patriot Light | AWK Network | VIEW ORIGINAL POST ==>
The flotilla of ships is now passing by Tasmania down the southernmost part of Australia.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has pressed the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for not answering “basic questions” about the timeline of a live fire drill staged in the Tasman Sea by a flotilla of Chinese warships.
As first reported in The Epoch Times on Feb. 24, Airservices Australia only found out about the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships intentions at 9.58 a.m. on Feb. 21 after a notification from a Virgin Australia commercial pilot.
The pilot overheard a warning from the Chinese ships on a radio (guard band) frequency monitored by pilots but not by air traffic control.
All pilots in the area, and those scheduled to fly later that day, were warned two minutes later as a result.
Later, an Emirates flight spoke to the Chinese ships and was told the exercise had begun at 9.30 a.m.—meaning there was 30 minute gap between when the apparent exercise began and when Australia’s official flight traffic controller knew it was happening.
Civilian aircraft were likely flying through the area during that time before being told to re-route—49 flights were impacted by the…
