The Philippine Coast Guard said that a Chinese Navy helicopter flew "dangerously" close, reportedly within three metres, to a government aircraft patrolling a disputed section of the South China Sea on Tuesday (Feb 17). News agency AFP said that the aircraft was carrying a group of journalists over the contested Scarborough Shoal. 

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The Philippine Coast Guard shared the video, which showed a Chinese navy helicopter flying close to a Philippine aircraft patrolling. They immediately said over the radio: "You are flying too close; you are very dangerous and endangering the lives of our crew and passengers”.

"Keep away and distance your aircraft from us. You are violating the safety standard," the Philippine pilot added. 

The Coast Guard said in the statement that the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) helicopter had been "as close as three metres" to the fisheries bureau's Cessna." 

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"This reckless action posed a serious risk to the safety of the pilots and passengers," it added. 

Watch the video here: 

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This is the second incident within weeks as Australia recently said that a Chinese fighter jet dropped flares near an Australian Air Force plane patrolling the South China Sea. Beijing swiftly hit back, accusing the Australian plane of "violating Chinese sovereignty and endangering Chinese national security". 

Australia's defence department said the plane was flying a "routine" surveillance patrol over the contested waters on February 11 when the Chinese aircraft approached. 

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South China Sea conflict 

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea grab the attention of the world. It involves conflicting island and maritime claims in the region by several sovereign states, namely Brunei, China Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam. 

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Beijing has ignored a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that its claims to almost the entire sea have no legal basis. 

In recent years, China has ramped up patrols of the waters and reefs in the South China Sea and built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its assertion. 

(With inputs from agencies)