Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense sent out an islandwide air raid alert on Tuesday, mistakenly warning residents of an incoming missile, which turned out to be a satellite launched from a mainland China. The alert, broadcast in English, contrasted the accurate Chinese version of the message, which informed the public of the satellite and cautioned about potential debris.
The erroneous English alert, sent to mobile phones across Taiwan, stated: "Air raid Alert. Missile flyover Taiwan airspace, be aware."
This caused considerable confusion and concern among residents until the ministry issued an apology several hours later, acknowledging the inaccuracy and confirming that it was a satellite, not a missile.
The satellite in question was part of the Einstein Probe project, a collaboration between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the European Space Agency. It was launched from Xichang in Sichuan province using one of China's Long March rockets.
This incident is not the first time Taiwan's defense officials have been on alert due to satellite launches. A similar situation occurred in October, when the ministry warned of another satellite entering Taiwanese airspace, though they reassured the public that it posed no threat.