Australia says Chinese fighter jet released flares that almost hit spy plane over South China Sea

Australia protested Thursday what it described as an "unsafe and unprofessional" interaction over the South China Sea where a Chinese fighter is accused of releasing flares that endangered an Australian military surveillance plane.

A Chinese J-16 fighter released flares on Tuesday that passed within 30 meters (100 feet) of a P-8 Poseidon surveillance jet in daylight and in international air space, Defense Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday.

The Australian plane usually carries eight or nine crew. The plane was not damaged and no crew member was injured, Marles said.