Dutch Boeing 747 pilot encounters Chinese ballistic missile

A Dutch commercial pilot accidentally took photos of a Chinese ballistic missile test launch.

Image taken by pilot Van Heijst from the cockpit of a Boeing 747. Photo: Aviationist.

A Boeing 747 pilotA Cargolux, Luxembourg airliner on July 22 suddenly encountered unusual lights and gas trails in the sky over the Himalayas while flying from Hong Kong to Baku, Azerbaijan, according to Aviationist.

"The strange thing was that the unusual lights in the sky quickly turned into teardrop-shaped bubbles that rapidly increased in size and altitude," said Dutch pilot Van Heijst.

According to Van Heijst, the international notice to airmen (NOTAMs) on July 22 said that the airspace in the southern part of Urumqi, Xinjiang, China was prohibited from flying within a radius of 100 km. However, the notice did not give a specific reason for this airspace ban.

Video recorded by Chinese people in an area near the city of Urumqi.

"The entire incident took place within 12 minutes, from the moment the light appeared and disappeared over the horizon. Although my knowledge is limited, I believe that I fully observed the two launch stages of a ballistic missile,"Heijst emphasized.

Meanwhile, military experts from the French website East Pendulum said that this is an image of Beijing's DF-21 medium-range ballistic missile test launch.

The site also posted photos and videos taken by Chinese residents around the area, claiming that the Chinese military conducted a ballistic missile test launch on July 22.

Chinese officials have not yet commented on the incident.

According to VNE