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British Airways flight hit by laser pen attack over Irlam


The captain of a British Airways plane reported being blinded by a green laser as he flew over Irlam at 33,000 feet.

Police received a call at 9.20pm on Sunday 22 March from London Air Traffic Control, who said a green laser, believed to be from a laser pen, had been shone three times at the Boeing 767.

The plane, which was carrying up to 375 passengers, was not diverted from its course.

No culprit could be found but police are still investigating.

It is the latest in a series of laser attacks on aircraft over Barton City Airport in recent months.

In April 2014 the National Police Air Service, which runs the India 99 police helicopter from the airport, warned that “stupid and reckless” use of laser pens was putting lives at risk.

The Civil Aviation Authority says that in 2011 alone there were over 2,300 reports of laser pens being shone at aircraft.

In the early hours of Saturday 16 August 2014 the NPAS released video footage of their helicopter crew being blinded by a laser pen shone directly at the aircraft, forcing it to land.

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