Virgin Pilot Alerted Australia to China Navy Live-Fire Drill

By Ben Westcott

Feb 25, 2025 (Bloomberg) –Australia was unaware Chinese warships were set to conduct live-fire exercises off its east coast until its security authorities were alerted via a Virgin Australia pilot who heard radio communications about the drills, according to a top air traffic official.

As Beijing and Canberra trade accusations over last week’s military exercises, Rob Sharp, chief executive officer of Airservices Australia, told a Senate hearing late Monday that his organization only became aware of the drills shortly before they began. One of the group’s air traffic controllers was informed by a Virgin pilot, he said.

“That’s how we first found out,” Sharp told a parliamentary panel. The pilot relayed to the Australian controller Fri…