Link

U.S. Navy Plane in Minor Collision Over China Sea

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft made an emergency landing in southern China on Sunday after a minor collision with a Chinese fighter plane, a Navy spokesman said. No one was injured. At approximately 9:15 a.m. local time, "a U.S. Navy EP-3 Maritime patrol aircraft on a routine surveillance mission over the South China Sea was intercepted by two (Chinese) ... fighter aircraft," Commander Rex Totty, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii, said in a telephone interview.

"There was contact between one of the Chinese aircraft and the EP-3, causing sufficient damage for the U.S. plane to issue a 'mayday' signal and divert to an airfield on Hainan Island, in the People's Republic of China," Totty said.

"We expect that the PRC government will respect the integrity of the aircraft and the well-being and safety of the crew in accordance with international practices, expedite any necessary repairs to the aircraft and facilitate the immediate return of the aircraft," Totty said.

"We have communicated our concerns about this incident to the PRC government through the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and the (Chinese) Embassy in Washington, D.C.," he said.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2001

Answers

Link

China forces U.S. spy plane to land Navy EP-3 damaged in ‘collision’ with Chinese fighter

MSNBC STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS WASHINGTON, April 1 — Chinese fighter jets intercepted a U.S. Navy surveillance plane over the South China Sea on Sunday, and after a collision, the American craft made an emergency landing in China, an American military spokesman said. A Chinese official accused the plane of flying in China’s airspace.

ACCORDING TO U.S. officials, the Navy EP-3, a four-engine propeller plane, was intercepted by two Chinese F-8 fighter jets over the South China Sea. After the collision the U.S. Navy craft issued a “Mayday” distress signal, reporting serious damage to one of the engines and the underside of the plane.

The Navy plane landed on Hainan Island in Chinese territory. U.S. officials said they believe the Chinese fighter may have crashed into the sea. The Chinese military has launched a search and rescue mission for one fighter jet. The second fighter reportedly landed on Hainan Island, officials said.

Navy officials told NBC News that the status of the 24 crewmembers is unclear. They have not been in contact with U.S. military since they’ve landed on the island.

A spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith, Hawaii, said the 24 crew members on the plane were uninjured, but the spokesman did not reveal the source of his information on the crew.

The U.S. plane was in international airspace, he said. CHINA CLAIMS AIRSPACE VIOLATION

A spokeswoman for the provincial government of Hainan, however, told NBC News that the collision with the U.S. naval plane had occurred “inside Chinese territorial airspace.” The spokeswoman said the damaged aircraft had landed at the Lingshui airport, a military airfield on Hainan Island.

There was no immediate comment from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The People’s Liberation Army declined comment.

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing “communicated our concern about the incident” to the Chinese government, said Col. John Bratton, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command. U.S. authorities in Washington contacted the Chinese Embassy there as well. In Washington, a spokesman for President Bush said he was being kept apprised of the situation.

U.S. officials told NBC News that Washington considers the plane sovereign U.S. territory and that the crewmembers have immune status — meaning the Chinese should have no have no right to board and search the plane or detain the crew.

Officials noted that the situation was problematic since the plane can’t take off, and U.S. officials can’t land on Hainan. The Navy said the United States expects the Chinese to facilitate repair of the plane to allow it to take off.

Hainan is China’s second largest island. It is also one of China’s special economic zones. With a population of seven million, it’s at the same latitude as Hawaii. Hainan’s beaches make it one of China’s top six tourist destinations. The island is one of many bases for China’s military use for keeping an eye on the South China Sea.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2001

Oh, shit! I mean, "My goodness!" Will see what BBC has to say, they have good connections in Asia.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2001

Hmm, other than a photo and map, not much to add right now.

BBC - Sunday, 1 April, 2001, 14:16 GMT 15:16 UK

US spy plane forced to land

The US says the plane was on a routine mission A United States Navy surveillance plane has made an emergency landing in southern China after suffering damage during a collision with one of two Chinese fighter jets that intercepted it.

The US Pacific Command said its EP-3 plane issued a mayday signal and was forced to land at an airbase on Hainan Island after the incident over the South China Sea.

The four-engine propeller plane was on a routine mission in international airspace at the time of the collision.

Pacific Command spokesman Colonel John Bratton said the minor collision appeared to be "an accident" and the Chinese had not forced the plane down.

"The planes actually bumped into each other," another spokesman, Lietenant Colonel Dewey Ford, said.

There were no reports of injuries among the 24 crew members - one member of the US Air Force, one marine, and 22 navy personnel - on board the aircraft.

Experts say run-ins between Chinese and US aircraft are quite common along the Chinese coast, although it was the first time an aircraft had made an emergency landing.

"It's very regular for the American navy to have their planes intruding into Chinese airspace," Yan Xuetong, an international studies expert at Beijing's Tsinghua University said.

"The Chinese then send up fighters and chase them out."

The US has communicated its concern about the incident to the Chinese Government.

Uneasy relations

It comes at a time when Sino-American relations are under increasing strain.

US plans to develop a national missile shield - the so-called "son of star wars" - are a particularly contentious issue.

US Navy Commander Rex Totty said: "We expect that the government will respect the integrity of the aircraft and the well-being and safety of the crew in accordance with international practices, expedite any necessary repairs to the aircraft and facilitate the immediate return of the aircraft."

The Chinese foreign ministry has yet to comment on the incident.

The US plane took off from Kadena Airbase in Okinawa, Japan.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2001

Link

don't like the sound of this... :(

Sunday April 1, 11:27 AM (ET)

Chinese Fighter Bumped by U.S. Military Surveillance Plane (more added -2)

Apr 01, 2001 Xinhua -- The Chinese side is very much concerned about the missing Chinese pilot from the crashed jet, and is busily searching for his whereabouts, Zhu said.

Without permission from the Chinese side, the U.S. surveillance plane intruded into China's airspace and made an emergency landing at Lingshui Airport in Hainan at 9:33 a.m., according to the spokesman.

It was normal and in accordance with international practice for Chinese military jets to track the U.S. surveillance plane over China's water areas, Zhu said.

The direct cause of the damage and crash of the Chinese jet was that the U.S. plane suddenly veered into the Chinese jet, which was against flight rule. Therefore, the U.S. side should bear all the responsibility arising therefrom, Zhu said.

The Chinese side has made solemn representations and protested to the U.S. side, and China reserves its right to further negotiate with the U.S.side on the losses resulted in the incident, he said.

China has so far made proper arrangements for all the 24 crew members on board the U.S. plane, Zhu said, adding that China also reserves the right to further negotiate with the U.S. side on the U.S. plane's intrusion into China's airspace and landing at the Chinese airport without permission, Zhu said.

END

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2001