Latest On North Korea Threats: Flight Crew On Passenger Aircraft Report Seeing Nuke Test Missiles In Flight


In the latest news to come out of North Korea, it appears that the flight crew on at least three international flights over Asia witnessed a North Korean nuclear test missile flying through the atmosphere, raising questions of the safety of commercial flights near North Korean airspace.

As the Sun reports, Pyongyang launched yet another nuclear missile test last Wednesday, in open defiance of international condemnation and calls for the secretive regime to halt its nuclear ambitions. The missile, which U.S. officials believe is called a Hwasong-15, is theoretically capable of traveling 8,000 miles, putting the entire continental United States within its range. However, in this particular case, the missile was launched at a much higher angle, meaning that it flew more or less straight up into the atmosphere and landed harmlessly about 600 miles away in the Sea of Japan.

Flight crews from at least three passenger flights reported seeing a “flash” and “streak” in the sky. Considering the timing of the event, and the aircrafts’ locations relative to North Korea, officials surmised that it was the North Korean missile launch they were seeing.

A Cathay Pacific Airways flight, en route from San Francisco to Hong Kong, was over Japan when flight crew witnessed the launch.

“Though the flight was far from the event location, the crew advised Japan air traffic control according to procedure.”

Similarly, according to the New York Times, the pilots of two Korean Airlines flights bound for Incheon International Airport near Seoul witnessed the launch and at least some portion of the missile’s flight. A Korean Airlines spokesperson, who asked not to be identified citing company policy, confirmed that the pilots witnessed the missile launch.

Although all three aircraft were far enough away from the missile’s launch and flight path to not be in any real danger, the fact that missiles are leaving North Korean airspace and entering international and Japanese airspace is cause for concern, particularly to airlines that fly in and out of the area.

Back in August, Florida aviation consulting firm Flight Services Bureau warned that North Korean missiles could pose a threat to civilian aircraft flying over parts of Asia.

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