travelling-blogger

comments

British aviation officials are appealing for help from the public to stop a dangerous trend that is putting the lives of airline passengers and crew at risk.

Airports around the UK are dealing with a growing number of complaints about yobs shining lasers into the eyes of pilots as they prepare to land.

At Liverpool John Lennon Airport, flight captains have reported nearly 100 incidents in the past two years where cockpits have been hit with blinding light while planes make their final approach.

Scroll down for video  

At Liverpool John Lennon Airport there have been nearly 100 incidents reported in the last two years 

In 2013, a plane's first officer was temporarily blinded when the cockpit was dazzled with intense light

Between January and November of this year, 54 laser pen attacks were reported to the Civil Aviation Authority, according to the Liverpool Echo.

There have been more reports of laser pen incidents at Liverpool's airport – the 12th busiest in the country – than at London Stansted and Edinburgh, the UK's fourth and fifth busiest airports, respectively.

In 2013, one incident left a pilot temporarily blinded. The first officer's vision was 'impaired' by a laser beam after a packed Airbus jet was targeted twice.

Moment drinker is caught after flashing laser at police...

Between January and November of this year, 54 laser pen attacks were reported at Liverpool's airport

The captain of another flight saw a GP after taking a 'direct strike to the right eye', while easyJet and Ryanair pilots have been targeted at altitudes as low as 500ft.

Richard Taylor, head of the Civil Aviation Authority's air traffic standards division, told the Liverpool Echo: 'The number of incidents of aircraft being attacked by lasers at UK airports, including Liverpool John Lennon, is still far too high.

'These are very serious incidents which endanger the safety of passenger flights and we are determined to stop them happening.

Shining a laser at an aircraft in flight has been a criminal offence in the UK since 2010

'It is a criminal offence to shine a laser at an aircraft in flight, so anyone who witnesses one being used near an airport should report it immediately to the police.

'We really need the public's help to stop these dangerous attacks.'

Since it became a criminal offence in 2010, a handful of people have been prosecuted for shining a laser pen at aircraft. The pens can be purchased online for as little as £8.

Last month, 23-year-old William Sprout, from Warrington, was jailed for up to four months after beaming a laser at a police helicopter from the window of his flat.

The cockpit was filled with green light twice, leaving the pilot and observation crew temporarily disoriented.