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posted by martyb on Friday February 19 2016, @11:42AM   Printer-friendly
from the blinded-by-the-light dept.

In yet another laser beam incident, crew on a flight carrying Pope Francis reported a laser beam sighting to air traffic control in Mexico City:

Alitalia flight AZ4000 was travelling from Havana with the Pope on board, and was preparing to land when the laser was spotted.
No crew or passengers were injured by the beam, the airline added.

[...] "This is yet another incident that shows how serious and widespread the issue of laser attacks on aircraft is," said Jim McAuslan, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa), in response to the case involving the Pope's plane. "Modern lasers have the power to blind and the potential to dazzle and distract pilots during critical phases of flight," he told the BBC. "Shining a laser at an aircraft is illegal and dangerous and puts all those on board and on the ground nearby at completely unnecessary risk."

Aboard the plane headed from Rome to Mexico, the Pope said that contraception may be the "lesser evil" for women at risk of catching the Zika virus. In comments made on the ground, he chastised Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump for his plan to build a wall on the Mexican border.


In another story from the UK laser crime beat, Englishman Philip Houghton has been sentenced to 20 weeks in prison for admitting to shining a laser pen at a Humberside Police helicopter that was investigating a shooting.

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  • (Score: 2) by Tork on Friday February 19 2016, @08:33PM

    by Tork (3914) Subscriber Badge on Friday February 19 2016, @08:33PM (#307059)

    seriously. why does this shit still make the news when there are laser protective glasses?

    Because 'this shit' is the result of people who should know better ruining it for everybody. No, you don't actually want to live in a society where everything is okay as long as technology hasn't physically prevented you from being up to no good.

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  • (Score: 2) by Gravis on Friday February 19 2016, @10:00PM

    by Gravis (4596) on Friday February 19 2016, @10:00PM (#307100)

    No, you don't actually want to live in a society where everything is okay as long as technology hasn't physically prevented you from being up to no good.

    i'm not saying it should be reported to the authorities or that the legality should be changed. i'm asking why is it news.

    • (Score: 2) by Gravis on Friday February 19 2016, @10:01PM

      by Gravis (4596) on Friday February 19 2016, @10:01PM (#307101)

      should not be reported*