Chinese jets intercept U.S. Navy plane

The U.S. Navy says the EP-3 aircraft was involved in a routine surveillance mission

HONOLULU, Hawaii - A U.S. Navy patrol aircraft has been forced to make an emergency landing in China after what officials describe as a "minor" mid-air collision with a Chinese fighter jet.

The incident occurred at approximately 0915 local time Sunday over the South China Sea when Chinese fighters intercepted the EP-3 surveillance plane during what the U.S. Navy says was a routine patrol flight.

"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," said Cmdr. Rex Totty of the U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith, Hawaii.

The plane was able to land safely at the Chinese airfield and the 24 American crew members aboard the aircraft were not injured.

The U.S. plane was in international airspace when the collision occurred, Totty said.

It was on a mission from Kadena Airbase in Okinawa, Japan.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not have any immediate comment and the People's Liberation Army command has also made no comment.

Another spokesman for Pacific Command, Col. John Bratton said it was not clear if the contact was an accident or if the Chinese jet tried to bump the American plane.

The Chinese airplane did not appear to crash, he said.

Sensitive time

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing "communicated our concern about the incident" to the Chinese government, Bratton said.

U.S. defense officials in Washington are believed to have contacted the Chinese Embassy there as well with their concerns over the incident.

The United States asked that the crew be well treated and that the aircraft be repaired and allowed to return.

The collision comes at a sensitive time in Sino-U.S. relations with President George W Bush due to decide later this month whether to approve a Taiwanese request for the U.S. to supply it with advanced weapons and defense systems.

Beijing has warned the U.S. that the sale of such weapons could dramatically alter the strategic balance between Taiwan and the mainland and could trigger a cross-Straits war.

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.

US Pacific Command

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