Dutch pilot Christiaan van Heijst is known for taking stunning images from the cockpit of planes.
On Sunday, according to the U.K. Daily Mail, as he was taking photos of the night sky on a flight from Hong Kong to Azerbaijan, over the Himalaya mountains, he witnessed something he called a “once in a lifetime event.”
That’s putting it mildly, as it appears that he may have just happened to capture an anti-ballistic missile as it was launched by the Chinese into the sky.
Van Heijst described what began as an unusual bright spot on the horizon that quickly changed into a “droplet-shaped bubble that rapidly grew in size and altitude…”
Van Heijst also wrote that while his knowledge of such events and what they look like at night is extremely limited, he surmised that what he had photographed were two rocket stages burning in succession.
A post shared by Christiaan van Heijst (@jpcvanheijst) on
The stunning photos seem to be showing the Chinese testing one of their anti-ballistic missiles, at least according to the pilot. Such missiles are used to defend against incoming weapons from enemy nations.
Weapons like this are vital in order to prevent devastating attacks. Considering China’s close proximity to both Russia and North Korea, such missiles are an absolute necessity.
Tensions have been growing in the Pacific, with China pushing for greater control in the South China Sea. The U.S. has responded with a greater presence in the area. In addition to this, President Trump has spoken publicly about China’s refusal to work with us in restricting North Korea’s activities.
Could these problems escalate into conflict? There’s always that chance. So, it comes as no surprise that China is testing their missile systems.