(VOVworld) – On Friday, the Wall Street Journal quoted Pentagon officials as saying that an American B-52 bomber flew within two nautical miles of an artificial island built by China in the East Sea.

US B-52s were contacted by China but continued their mission, says the Pentagon. (Photo: abc.net.au)

But the US Department of Defense said it’s unintentional, adding that they are investigating why one of two B-52s on the mission last week flew closer than planned to Cuarteron Reef in the Spratly Islands.

Last month, American B-52s also flew close to an island illegally built by China but didn’t go within 12 nautical miles, a boundary marking a country’s territorial waters.