A U.S. Navy EP-3E Aries II maritime patrol aircraft, similar to the one in this undated file photograph, was involved in a midair collision in international airspace with fighter aircraft from the Republic of China at approximately 8:15 p.m. EST, Saturday, March 31, 2001. Damage to the aircraft was significant enough to require an emergency landing at a military airfield on the island of Hainan, China. None of the 24 crew members aboard the aircraft were reported injured. The Chinese fighter jet crashed into the South China Sea. The Aries II is assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One and is operating from Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan. U.S. Navy File Photo.