Australia looks for 'full investigation' into Chinese laser incident, says PM Morrison

Australia wants a "full investigation" into an incident by China where a naval vessel of the Beijing pointed a laser at an Australian defence plane.  

It was potentially visible from Australia's mainland, said Prime Minister Scott Morrison.  

On radio on Monday, Morrison said that his government had not received an explanation from China over the incident.   

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The country is seeing the incident as a "dangerous and reckless act".  

On Saturday, Australia's defence said that a Chinese navy vessel, which was within Australia's exclusive economic zone, directed a laser at an Australian military aircraft in flight over northern approaches of the country. It illuminated the plane and potentially endangered lives.  

The P-8A Poseidon, which is a maritime patrol aircraft, detected a laser originating from a People's Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) vessel, the Defence Department said. It also released the photographs of two Chinese vessels sailing close to northern coast of Australia.   

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Through diplomatic and defence channels, Australia had called for "a full investigation into this event", Morrison said on local radio.   

In Tasmania on Monday, Morrison told reporters, "It's possible people could even see the vessel from our mainland, potentially."  

At the time of the incident, a Chinese guided missile destroyer and an amphibious transport dock were sailing east through the Arafura Sea between New Guinea and Australia. They later passed through the narrow Torres Strait.   

(With inputs from agencies)