Laser lights detected near Noi Bai

June 24, 2016 - 16:00

Hà Nội police on Thursday announced that four incidents involving laser lights directed at Nội Bài airport occurred this month, but the source of only one of the cases was identified.

Lasers or bright lights can distract pilots during critical moments like take-off and landing. VNA/VNS Photo Bùi Tường
Viet Nam News

HÀ NỘI – Hà Nội police on Thursday announced that four incidents involving laser lights directed at Nội Bài airport occurred this month, but the source of only one of the cases was identified.

Police said the laser came from the stage light of a mobile circus show held June 2 at a stadium in Sóc Sơn District’s Thụy Hương Village, about 3.5km as the crow flies from the airport.

The circus immediately turned off the light when asked to do so by police for fear of threatening aviation safety.

Lasers or bright lights can distract or temporarily blind pilots during critical moments like take-off and landing.

“The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has warned all countries to prevent the use of laser lights in airspace, which can seriously threaten aviation safety,” said National Civil Aviation Security Committee (NCASC) Deputy Chief of Staff Nguyễn Đắc Tuấn.

In two of the four recorded incidents of laser lights this month, crew members reported to airport authorities the sighting of a green laser light directed at the airplanes’ cabins. They included Vietnam Airlines flight VN1554, departing from Khánh Hòa Province on June 12, and Vietjet air flight VJ174, from HCM City.

Another Viet Nam airlines flight, VN7168, departing from Đà Nẵng on June 11, also detected a laser light about 40km from Nội Bài airport.

The NCASC earlier this week issued orders asking Aviation Emergency Committees in all airports nationwide to beef up controls over laser light usage in airspace.

“Police are investigating all laser cases,” Tuấn said. “I’m sure that there will be no such incidents in the future.” – VNS

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