Blinding light from laser beam interrupts Cathay Pacific flight landing at IGI Airport ..
Laser
lights, a common feature in wedding functions these days, are turning
out to be a major cause of concern for pilots trying to land planes at
Delhi's airport.A Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong was
landing at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport at 9:10 p.m. on
Sunday. As the pilot lowered the plane to prepare for landing, a
blinding light from laser beam interrupted his vision. He immediately
called the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and informed them about this
interruption.A senior ATC official said it is a serious
matter as this isn't the first time a pilot has complained about laser
lights (a common feature in weddings and big functions) from ground
interrupting their view, something that could lead to a major tragedy as
such lights, when they hit the eyes directly, could cause temporary
blindness.
The airport has already raised this issue with the Ministry of Civil Aviation but nothing has happened on this front.
"The
laser light was probably coming from a distance of 7 kilometer from the
IGI airport and the pilot felt it was intentionally targeting the
flight. The pilot also told the ATC that the flight is about to land," a
senior ATC official told Mail Today.
The
ATC helped the pilot land the plane successfully and, meanwhile, called
the Delhi Police control room, informing them about the distraction.
The police were also told the laser light were a risk to aviation
safety.
An ATC official said any distraction to a pilot a
few minutes prior to landing or take-off could spell disaster. "When
any laser or flash light is directed at an aircraft, it can be very
dangerous.
Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.Such
a light causes distraction or could temporarily blind the pilot during a
critical phase of flight like landing or takeoff. It is also possible
under particular conditions that a visible or invisible beam could cause
permanent harm to a pilot's eyes," an Air India pilot, who didn't wish
to be named, told Mail Today.
This isn't the first such
case of a laser light display on ground distracting a pilot. Almost four
months back a pilot of an international flight also raised a similar
issue.
The ATC had raised this concern with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the same was discussed in various meetings.
In
Sunday's case, a senior police official said the police are trying to
locate the source of the laser light within 7-km area near the airport
including Vasant Kunj, Dwarka, farmhouses in Kapashera and Gurgaon and
other places hosting some programme on Sunday. The police are also
clueless as to what section of IPC would a case be registered.
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