Russia missile launch warning prompts US Air Force Antarctica flight to turn back

A US Air Force flight bound for Antarctica returned to New Zealand after authorities issued a warning about potentially hazardous space activity linked to a planned Russian missile launch.

According to CNN, the C-17 Globemaster III left Christchurch Airport at about 9:00 AM local time on Tuesday before turning around and landing back in the city roughly 150 minutes later, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.

New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said Russia's State Air Traffic Management Corporation had notified it about a planned missile launch and an “associated potential hazard to international airspace” within New Zealand's Oceanic Flight Information Region.

The CAA subsequently established a danger area and issued a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM, warning aircraft operators about the potential risk.

“We put in place a danger area and issued a NOTAM to alert aircraft operators to the potential hazard. This does not prevent aircraft from flying through the area, operators make their decisions based on the information available,” the CAA said.

“Much of our Oceanic FIR is over international waters, where we have limited control over activities,” it added.

The flight was scheduled during the annual Winter Fly-in period, when flights transport personnel, equipment and supplies between Christchurch and Antarctic research bases ahead of the summer research season.