New Dangers From Lasers That Are Being Targeted At Airplanes

There is a scary new trend happening around the world. People are aiming high-powered lasers at aircraft, potentially blinding pilots, both temporarily and permanently while putting passengers in danger. The video above shows how the pilots are blinded by the bright lights.

A male was arrested in the Dallas last week for "tagging" airplanes. There has been a rash of lasers around the New York City airports, and the FBI has gotten involved. If you are caught shining a laser at aircraft you can be punished by fines up to $250,000 and spend years in prison.

As lasers become more and more affordable, attacks are on the rise. Last year, the FAA reported 3,894 laser events nationwide, and pilots have already experienced more than 2,750 laser incidents this year. If you see someone pointing a laser at planes or helicopters, you should call 9-1-1 and report what you saw and where they were at. If you own a laser, you should never point it at any aircraft.

This is a growing issue around the world, and only with your help can this be stopped before a major tragedy happens because a pilot loses his or her vision due to laser blindness when landing. For more information on the recent attacks around New York City, read the story here.

[ABC News]