Laser pranksters ‘risk killing hundreds’
29.09.08
Pranksters are endangering hundreds of lives by dazzling pilots with laser pointers as they come in to land, the pilots union has said. The British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) said the perpetrators were dazzling pilots and 'effectively playing Russian roulette with hundreds of passengers'.
There were dozens of incidents in the past year, including at Heathrow, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Norwich and Newcastle Airport in which co-pilots had to take control of flights after their colleagues were temporarily blinded by powerful laser devices, Balpa said today. A spokesman warned it was only a matter of time before they caused a plane crash.
Dave Reynolds, flight safety officer for Balpa, said: 'It is a serious distraction at a critical phase of the flight and it is something the authorities need to take very seriously indeed. These incidents are an increasing nuisance. Luckily nothing has gone wrong to date but it's only a matter of time before an accident occurs.'
The latest incidents include one last month when the pilot of a Boeing 737-300 passenger plane coming in to land at Cardiff Airport was dazzled by a green light pointed at the aircraft by someone on the ground. Another plane landing at Edinburgh Airport was also targeted ten days ago.
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