The Daily Telegraph

Fears over threat to airlines from N Korean missiles

- By Neil Connor in Beijing , Julian Ryall in Tokyo and Ben Riley-smith in Washington

THREE commercial airline crews reported seeing the interconti­nental ballistic missile fired by North Korea last week, it was revealed yesterday as tensions on the peninsula mounted amid a huge Us-led military drill.

Two Korean Air pilots and staff on a Cathay Pacific flight all reported seeing a flash of light on Nov 29, the day of the missile launch. They are believed to have seen the missile blowing up or falling apart. It remains unclear how close the explosion was to the flights.

However, it has raised concerns about whether airlines should consider changing routes to better protect customers, given escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Senior US political figures have warned that time is running out to solve the impasse and suggested evacuating the wives and children of US soldiers in South Korea.

Yesterday, the US and South Korea began huge joint aerial exercises in response to the launch by Pyongyang.

North Korea’s Hwasong-15 interconti­nental ballistic missile could reach 8,100 miles, putting Washington DC within reach, experts have said.

One hour after the test launch last Wednesday, the captain of a Korean Air flight approachin­g South Korea’s Incheon Airport from San Francisco reported to ground control that he had seen a flash, local media said.

Four minutes later, the pilot of another Korean Air aircraft crossing the Sea of Japan inbound from Los Angeles reported a similar flash of light.

The crew of a Cathay Pacific flight in Japanese airspace also reported a burst of light in the pre-dawn skies over the ocean. Cathay said the missile was far from the plane, and operation was unaffected, adding that it had informed other carriers and authoritie­s.

“At the moment, no one is changing any routes or operating parameters,” the Hong Kong-based airline said in a statement. “We remain alert and [will] review the situation as it evolves.”

A Korean Air official said that both their aircraft landed without further incident and insisted neither was in danger because the missile’s trajectory was sufficient­ly far away from their flight paths.

The US and South Korea sent dozens of stealth jets into the sky yesterday for joint exercises. During the five-day drill, which is called Vigilant Ace, 230 US and South Korean aircraft and 12,000 troops will hone their wartime capabiliti­es and preparedne­ss, military officials in Seoul said.

The exercises will involve simulated precision attacks on the North’s military installati­ons, including its missile launch sites and artillery units, said Yonhap, the news agency.

Meanwhile, a top UN official will travel to North Korea this week for talks with officials amid hopes of breaking the growing diplomatic stand-off.

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