Russian fighter jets intercepted a British Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea in what officials described as a dangerous encounter, with one Russian jet flying as close as 19 feet to the British plane.

The incident involved an unarmed RAF Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft that was conducting what the U.K. Ministry of Defence characterized as a "routine international flight." British officials said the Russian jets intercepted the aircraft in a manner they deemed unsafe.

The Rivet Joint is a specialized reconnaissance aircraft used for intelligence gathering and surveillance operations. The aircraft was operating in international airspace when the intercept occurred, according to British authorities.

The close proximity of the Russian fighter jet to the British aircraft raised safety concerns among U.K. officials, who characterized the intercept as dangerous. Such encounters between military aircraft from different nations have become increasingly common in various regions as geopolitical tensions persist.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident but provided limited additional details about the specific circumstances or duration of the encounter. The Black Sea region has been an area of heightened military activity and surveillance operations by various nations.