Commercial pilots have been warned of a potential hazard in airspace between Australia and New Zealand, where three Chinese warships are conducting military exercises.
The ABC has confirmed with Australian authorities formal advice has been issued by Airservices Australia which prompted several international flights to divert course.
Airservices Australia, which is responsible for aviation safety within the region, has referred all questions to the Department of Defence.
On Thursday Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australian ships and aircraft were working “very closely” with New Zealand’s military to monitor a Chinese naval taskforce transiting south east off the east coast of Australia.
An earlier report from Washington in the UK’s Financial Times newspaper said the flotilla was around 150 nautical miles (277 kilometres) east of Sydney.
The Defence Department first revealed the Chinese naval taskforce was being monitored in the Coral Sea, north east of Queensland, but within Australia’s exclusive economic zone.
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