Video shows the moment a man shone a laser pointer at an aircraft, risking 'catastrophic consequences,' and leading to a prison sentence

19.04.2024 - 20:38 / insider.com / Airlines

A 53-year-old man was sentenced to four months in prison after shining a laser at a passenger jet.

Andrew Wilson, from Somerset, England, admitted that he twice broke the UK's Laser Misuse Act, local police said.

The first incident occurred August 3, 2022, when Wilson shone a laser pointer at a helicopter flying overhead at around 11:20 p.m.

11 days later, around midnight, an Airbus A320 carrying nearly 200 passengers was on approach to Bristol Airport when Wilson pointed a laser at it.

Andrew Wilson, 53, of Martock, Somerset, was sentenced to four months imprisonment at Taunton Crown Court after he admitted to two counts of directing a laser beam at an aircraft.https://t.co/VCeFFXnIUG pic.twitter.com/J1okk7sCx8

According to local police, one of its pilots told the court in a statement that the laser attack happened at a "critical stage" of the flight.

"Rendering one or both pilots blind whilst they are flying is obviously extremely dangerous," they added.

Jason Marshalsea, the police officer in charge of the case, said: "Shining a laser beam at an aircraft is dangerous and irresponsible and could result in catastrophic consequences."

"Wilson not only jeopardized the eyesight of several pilots, but he also unnecessarily and recklessly endangered the lives of hundreds of innocent people on those aircraft," he added.

Incidents involving lasers and planes have been on the rise in recent years, despite pleas from authorities for people to stop shining lasers at aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in January that it received more than 13,000 reports last year from pilots about laser strikes — a 41% increase from the year before.

Last month, a 29-year-old in New York was accused by prosecutors of shining a laser at a Delta Air Lines flight — and could face five years in prison.

Plus a video from a Mexican fireworks festival went viral as it showed dozens of revelers pointing lasers at a plane flying overhead.