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.

Australia's defense forces, joined by New Zealand, have been monitoring Chinese navy vessels since they were spotted last week.

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.

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

The commanding officer of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was relieved of his duty on Thursday, just over a week after the vessel collided with a merchant ship.