The German foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Berlin after a Chinese warship used a laser to target a German aircraft taking part in an EU operation helping to protect shipping in the Red Sea.
“The endangerment of German personnel and disruption of the operation are completely unacceptable,” the ministry said on X.
A German defence ministry spokesperson said the aircraft involved in the incident earlier this month was a multi-sensor platform plane. Known as a “flying eye” for its wide-range surveillance capabilities over the sea, it is piloted by civilians with military personnel on board.
The aircraft was conducting a “routine operation flight over the Red Sea” when it was “targeted by a laser without reason or prior contact by a Chinese warship that had already been encountered several times in the sea area”, the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “By using the laser, the warship accepted risk to people and property.”
As a precaution, the flight was called off and the aircraft returned safely to its base in Djibouti. No one was hurt. The defence spokesperson said flights had resumed.
The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the summoning of its ambassador, Deng Hongbo.
Iran-backed Houthi militants have been attacking Israel and vessels in the Red Sea in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians of Gaza. Two seafarers were killed in a Houthi attack on Tuesday.
The EU established the Aspides mission – from the ancient Greek word “shields” – in February 2024 as a defensive maritime security operation to safeguard Red Sea navigation. Aspides officials referred queries to the German government.
The German military’s parliamentary mandate sets a maximum deployment of 700 personnel.
Der Spiegel, a German news outlet, reported that the incident off the coast of Yemen involved a German reconnaissance plane stationed in Djibouti that had been chartered for the operation. It can carry up to four soldiers.
According to the report, the laser incident occurred when the aircraft approached a Chinese frigate. Breaking with common practice, the crew of the Chinese ship allegedly did not establish contact via a distress frequency.
It was not immediately clear whether the German plane sustained any damage and it was being inspected, according to Der Spiegel. The incident has meant there is little air traffic in the region.
It was not the first time the Chinese military has been accused of using lasers against western forces, a move that can temporarily blind pilots and affect aircraft electronics systems.
In 2018, the Pentagon accused Chinese nationals of shining military-grade laser pointers at US pilots operating out of the US base in Djibouti, which is used for counter-terrorism operations in east Africa and Yemen.
In one case, two pilots on a C-130 cargo plane reportedly suffered minor eye injuries as they came in to land at the base.
Washington issued a formal diplomatic complaint while Beijing denied involvement.
China opened a naval base in Djibouti in 2017 close to the US facility – the first overseas post for its rapidly expanding armed forces.
