Philippine officials flying close to a Chinese-made island near the disputed Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea said that they received warnings from the Chinese navy.

Eric Apolonio, along with other officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, said they were on their way to the Philippine-occupied Thitu island on a Cessna airplane on Jan. 7 when a message received over an emergency radio frequency warned them, according to ABC News.

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“Foreign military aircraft,” the warning said, “this is the Chinese navy. You are threatening the security of our station.”

Apolonio and the others ignored the warning and continued their trip, which was aimed at conducting a survey for the installation of a $1 million satellite-based civil aviation safety equipment on the island. The equipment is required by the International Civil Aviation Organization to ensure the safety of commercial flights.

After finishing the survey, the Filipino officials left in the plane and reportedly received the same warning. Apolonio told reporters that they were, in reality, apprehensive of the situation as they feared they could be shot while in flight.

Hong Lei, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said Apolonio's report is an intently treacherous exaggeration of situations currently happening in the region, adding that the Philippine aviation official was merely trying to scare people, according to Reuters.

Hong said that the Philippines' occupation of eight islands including Thitu is illegal, explaining that China has sovereignty over the islands. He added that the Philippines will not succeed in its plots.

So far, the Chinese Embassy in Manila has not released any statement about the situation.

Asif Ahmad, the British ambassador to the Philippines, has responded by saying that Britain will oppose any attempt to restrict or hinder the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, the Guardian reported.

“If a British aircraft, civilian or military, was intercepted and not allowed to fly over a space which we regard as international,” Ahmad said, “we will not simply ignore it.”

China is claiming ownership over almost all of the South China Sea, which is believed to have vast oil and gas deposits. Other countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Malaysia have competing claims in the region.