New Zealand said the Chinese navy conducted a live-fire exercise in international waters near the Pacific nation on Saturday, a day after it held a similar drill between Australia and New Zealand that forced airlines to divert flights.

The vessels were sailing in the Tasman Sea, and their announced intent to perform exercises prompted a call for commercial flights to divert course.

Capt. Dave Snowden, who was in charge of the USS Harry S. Truman when the aircraft carrier collided with a merchant ship, has been fired, the Navy announced.

Capt. Dave Snowden, commander of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, was relieved of duty Thursday due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command. The Truman was involved in a collision Feb.

The Navy announced the firing barely a week after the massive USS Harry S. Truman struck another ship while at sea.

Airlines have been contacted by Australia’s air traffic control agency warning them of reports of live fire off the country’s east coast where a Chinese navy task group has been operating, the agency and Australian officials said.

The Chinese naval exercises, in international waters off Australia’s eastern coast, while legal, have nonetheless sparked alarm in Australia and New Zealand.

Australia says it detected no live firing from Chinese naval ships off its east coast, despite the vessels broadcasting a warning that forced commercial flights to detour. The Chinese ships broadcast a verbal live fire warning Friday that was picked up by commercial planes over the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand,