Lasers Aimed at Flights Near Newark Airport, FAA Says
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Jupiterimages/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Lasers were aimed at two flights approaching one of the nation’s busiest airports Thursday night, the FAA says.
It was just before 10 p.m. EST when the FAA says two commercial airliners — a Boeing 737 and an Embraer 135 — were targeted with a green laser. They were flying at an altitude of 3,000 feet on final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
Moments before, a laser was pointed toward a Eurocopter, a private helicopter flying at an altitude of 1,600 feet 10 miles southwest of Newark Airport.
Though each aircraft landed without incident, and there were no injuries, the FAA notified the New Jersey State Police. Aiming a laser at an aircraft is a serious safety risk and violates federal law.
Many high-powered lasers can completely incapacitate pilots who are trying to fly safely to their destinations and may be carrying hundreds of passengers. Unfortunately, reported incidents of lasers aimed at aircraft are steadily increasing. So far this year, it has happened more than 2,000 times.
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