A Russian Sukhoi Su-24 attack aircraft makes a low altitude pass by the USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea. (AP)
Washington — Russian attack planes buzzed a US Navy destroyer in the Baltic Sea multiple times Monday and Tuesday, coming as close as an estimated 30 feet from the ship and twice passing below the ship’s navigation bridge, US officials said Wednesday.
The Russian Su-24 planes appeared unarmed but on Tuesday flew what the commander of the USS Donald Cook deemed to be a simulated attack profile. The Cook’s commander judged the actions unsafe and unprofessional, but the ship took no action beyond trying unsuccessfully to communicate with the aircraft by radio, according to a statement by US European Command.
“We have deep concerns about the unsafe and unprofessional Russian flight maneuvers,” the statement said. “These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries, and could result in a miscalculation or accident that could cause serious injury or death.”
The statement said the Cook was conducting deck landing drills with an allied military helicopter when two Su-24s made numerous close-range, low-altitude passes Monday afternoon. One pass occurred while the helicopter was refueling on the Cook’s deck.
“As a safety precaution, flight operations were suspended until the Su-24s departed the area,” the statement said.
European Command did not identify the ally involved, but other officials said the helicopter was Polish.
The European Command statement said US officials are using diplomatic channels to address the matter. The incidents also are under review by the Navy.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
