‘Serious safety incident’: Chinese ship shone laser at Australian aircraft, defence says

The lives of Australian Defence Force personnel could have been endangered after an aircraft detected a laser emanating from a Chinese ship, the Australian defence department says.

On Thursday 17 February, the P-8A Poseidon detected a laser illuminating the aircraft while in flight over Australia's northern approaches, defence says.

The laser was detected emanating from a People's Liberation Army Navy vessel, a statement on Saturday said.

"Illumination of the aircraft by the Chinese vessel is a serious safety incident," it says.

"We strongly condemn unprofessional and unsafe military conduct.

"These actions could have endangered the safety and lives of the ADF personnel."

The vessel was in the company of another Chinese ship and sailing east through the Arafura Sea at the time of the incident.

Both ships have since transited through the Torres Strait and are in the Coral Sea.