Five airline pilots dazzled by lasers at busy EU airport - UK laws explained

Pilots flying to a busy European airport were targeted repeatedly with laser beams in just one night, it has emerged. The incidents all happened while planes were approaching Brussels Airport for landing.

Reports from foreign media indicate that a laser pen was directed at their faces as they flew over Dilbeek in Belgium.

The first incident took place on Friday evening at 9.45 pm. The final incident was recorded on Saturday morning at 2.43am, according to Le Soir. The publication revealed that during the night between Friday and Saturday, five pilots were dazzled by laser beams moments before touching down at Brussels Airport.

This was corroborated by air traffic control organisation Skeyes, following reports by DPG Media.

"They all had a laser pointed at their faces between 8.45 pm and 2.45 am," Kurt Verwilligen of Skeyes told local media.

Such incidents are far from rare. Last year, Skeyes logged 169 reports.

Nevertheless, five times in a single evening remains a particularly alarming figure.

7Sur7 reports that those responsible have yet to be identified. "We immediately sent a patrol in that direction. But without an exact location, it's an impossible task. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack," said Koen Luppens, superintendent at the Dilbeek police district.

Officers are now appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Before such activity was made illegal, there were many similar incidents in the UK. Between January in 2009 and June in 2015, a total of more than 8,998 laser incidents were reported to the UK Civil Aviation Authority across the country.

In the UK, under the Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Act 2018, a person commits an offence if-.

(a)the person shines or directs a laser beam towards a vehicle which is moving or ready to move, and.

(b)the laser beam dazzles or distracts, or is likely to dazzle or distract, a person with control of the vehicle.

The act has specific language around aircraft. It states.

(a)the person shines or directs a laser beam-.

(ii)towards a person providing air traffic services, and.

(b)the laser beam dazzles or distracts, or is likely to dazzle or distract, a person providing air traffic services.

Anyone found guilty of such an offence faces, upon summary conviction in England and Wales, a custodial sentence not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates' court, an unlimited fine, or both. This could result in a 12-month prison term if proceedings are heard before a magistrates' court.

Should the defendant contest the charge and the case proceed to crown court, the maximum custodial sentence rises to five years.