Russia says airliner had to lose height to avoid NATO spy plane

The logo of Russian state airline Aeroflot is seen on top of a building in central Moscow, Russia, April 22, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev

MOSCOW (Reuters) -A Russian Aeroflot airliner flying from Tel Aviv to Moscow was forced to change altitude over the Black Sea because a NATO CL-600 reconnaissance plane crossed its designated flight path, Russia's state aviation authority said on Saturday.

The state airline said flight SU501 carrying 142 passengers had had to drop 2,000 feet on Friday after air traffic control told it that another aircraft had crossed its path.