A United States Air Force flight bound for Antarctica returned to Christchurch on Tuesday after a warning was issued about potentially hazardous space activity along its route.

The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed it was aware of the US Air Force flight turning around after a NOTAM was issued advising pilots of space activity that could pose a hazard to aviation en route to Antarctica.

A CAA spokesperson told chrislynchmedia.com the information behind the warning was provided to New Zealand authorities by the Russian Air Traffic Management Corporation.

“This activity was notified to CAA NZ by the Russian Air Traffic Management Corporation, resulting in the issuance of a NOTAM advising pilots of the hazard,” the spokesperson said.

The CAA did not provide further detail about the nature of the space activity in its response.

A NOTAM is an official notice used to alert pilots and aircraft operators to hazards or other information that could affect a flight.

“NOTAMs are issued to alert aircraft operators about potential hazards to allow them to make operational decisions,” the spokesperson said.

“Airlines and pilots are responsible for taking appropriate action in response to NOTAMs, including any decisions around flight planning.”

The CAA said the measures were designed to protect aircraft operating in international airspace.

“These measures are put in place to support the continued safety and security of aircraft operating in international airspace.”

Chris Lynch Media had asked the CAA to confirm what the reported space activity involved, provide the relevant NOTAM and clarify whether any other flights were affected.

Those details were not provided in the CAA response.