The boss of an Otago rescue helicopter operator is warning lives could be lost after two laser strikes on helicopters in the last week.
The latest incident happened at 3.30am yesterday morning as an Otago Helicopters med-evac chopper returned from Oamaru to Dunedin.
Five people were onboard — including one patient, the pilot and a full emergency medical team — when it was struck by laser from a reserve near Kakanui.
Otago Helicopters chief executive Graeme Gale says the pilot pinpointed the location and advised police but, to his knowledge, no one was apprehended.
“The people responsible for these incidents are muppets and clowns and it can’t continue,” he said.
He advised his pilots this morning to stay on the scene of any future events to help police catch the culprits, so long as there was no patient on board or needed attending to.
‘It can lead to permanent blindness’
“We’re sick of it and will go out of our way to apprehend those responsible.
“Not only can the laser striking the helicopter cause temporary loss of vision but it can lead to permanent blindness, and when only one pilot is on board the results could be catastrophic.”
The company has encountered at least 10 incidents this year.
Gale is advising friends, neighbours, or anyone else who sees a person using a laser to target a helicopter or plane to contact police immediately.
Police said it received a report that a laser was pointed at an aircraft flying over Kakanui around 3.40am on Sunday.
“Police responded immediately and carried out an extensive area search, however the offender was unable to be located and all lines of enquiry have been exhausted,” a spokesperson said.
The Civil Aviation Authority website said aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft was a “serious safety risk” for pilots, passengers and people on the ground below.
“These laser attacks are illegal and can lead to large fines or even jail time when attackers are caught.”
Offenders could face up to a year in prison or a fine of up to $10,000.
