Summary
- A Somerset man faces four months in prison for striking multiple aircraft with laser beams.
- The suspect committed two offenses in August 2022.
- Directing laser beams at aircraft is extremely dangerous and irresponsible.
A man from England was taken into custody last week after being found guilty of shining laser beams at two different aircraft. The offenses, which occurred about a week apart nearly two years ago, involved a helicopter and an Airbus A320.
Both aircraft were reportedly targeted while flying over Yeovil and Somerset County. Although the smaller helicopter only had a few people onboard, the A320 was believed to have been carrying “hundreds of innocent people.”
Critical stages of flight
According to the Avon and Somerset Police, 53-year-old Andrew Wilson from Martock, Somerset, was granted a four-month prison sentence at Taunton Crown Court on April 11th. At an earlier hearing, Wilson admitted to two counts of directing laser beams at aircraft while inflight – a violation of the Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Act enacted by the UK Government in 2018.
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The incident took place on February 23.
The first offense happened on August 3, 2022, at around 23:20. The police department released video showing what is believed to be Wilson shining a bright green laser at a helicopter flying above.
11 days later, on August 14th, a second incident occurred when an A320 flying over Yeovil was targeted during its descent into Bristol Airport (BRS). According to police, the aircraft had “almost two hundred people on onboard.”
“Obviously extremely dangerous”
Despite the offenses, both aircraft could land safely, but one of the pilots in command of the A320 read a statement in court that explained that the laser attack occurred during a “critical stage” of the flight.
“You can see how distractions and disturbances from laser attacks are dangerous whilst the pilots are required to be totally focused … Laser attacks on aircraft also have the ability to temporarily ‘flash blind’ … Rendering one or both pilots blind whilst they are flying is obviously extremely dangerous.”
PC Jason Marshalsea, the officer in the case, said lasers can be deadly.
“Shining a laser beam at an aircraft is dangerous and irresponsible and could result in catastrophic consequences. Wilson not only jeopardised the eyesight of several pilots, but he also unnecessarily and recklessly endangered the lives of hundreds of innocent people on those aircraft.”
The pilot also reiterated that such laser attacks can cause damage to the retina and long-term impairment of eyesight, which could ultimately result in a pilot losing their career. Among the qualifications for a pilot license are strict medical requirements.
Photo: mokokomo / Shutterstock
Wilson faces four months in prison. Under the Laser Misuse Act, any person who commits an offense is liable on summary conviction in England and Wales to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, to a fine, or both.
More than 3,000 strikes this year
In the US, laser strikes have risen over the past eight years. In 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported nearly 7,400 offenses. Between 2017 and 2020, more than 6,000 incidents were recorded each year. In 2021 and 2022, over 9,000 offenses occurred each year before an alarming 13,304 incidents happened last year. Over 3,400 laser-related offenses have been recorded so far this year.
“Many high-powered lasers can incapacitate pilots flying aircraft that may be carrying hundreds of passengers,” the FAA explained.
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