PH closes several area navigation routes for possible Chinese rocket debris

MANILA — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Friday closed several area navigation routes in preparation for possible debris drops from China's Long March 3B rocket launch.

The announcement was made as it issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM B3736/22) for aerospace flight activities effective starting noon of Friday until 6 p.m. of Jan. 2, 2023.

NOTAM is a notice containing information "concerning the establishment, condition or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations," the CAAP said on its website.

Although the rocket's debris will unlikely fall on inhabited land, the aviation agency said it may still pose danger to aircraft and seacraft.

The Philippine Space Agency earlier warned the public about the possible falling debris from the launch, which was made Thursday afternoon at Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Xichang, Sichuan Province, China.

The drop zone area — located within the vicinity of Recto Bank (West Philippine Sea), approximately 137 kilometers from Ayungin Shoal and 200 kilometers from Quezon, Palawan — may change due to various factors, including the weather, climate conditions, and even the planet’s rotation, the agency said.

The debris could also float around the area and wash toward nearby coasts, it added.

• PhilSA warns public over Chinese rocket debris

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