The five Chinese naval ships spotted in the Bering Sea off Alaska coast have begun their return journey, The U.S. Navy said Friday.

“They already had one of their icebreakers up in that area and they weren’t that far away with an exercise, and they’ve already started their return transit,” Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert told Reuters on Friday.

The return transit ends a first and rare visit of Chinese Navy ships to the Bering Sea. The five vessels included three warships, an amphibious ship and a replenishment ship.

The Pentagon confirmed Wednesday that they spotted five Chinese naval ships, including three warships, in Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska, as previously reported by HNGN. It was the first time that the Chinese Navy ships were spotted in the Bering Sea.

Read more: http://www.hngn.com/articles/126646/20150905/five-chinese-navy-ships-end-rare-visit-bering-sea.htm