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Vietnam’s national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has detected two more cases of laser beams being projected onto its airplanes at two local airports.
In a report to the National Committee of Civil Aviation Security, the carrier said its airplanes have been threatened by laser beams five times since June 11 with the latest on July 16 and 17.
A pilot detected green laser lights projected onto the cockpit in 5-10 seconds while preparing for landing at Vinh Airport in the central province of Nghe An on July 16.
One day later, another crew member of Vietnam Airlines detected green laser lights projected onto the cockpit twice, for 10 and 15 seconds, while preparing for landing at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi.
In both cases, the pilots managed to land the airplanes safely, the report said.
The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam has asked authorities to criminalize targeting airplanes with a laser, saying it as an act of obstructing air traffic. Under the proposal, those responsible for a fatal incident or injuring a pilot could be fined VND30 million ($1,327) to VND100 million ($4,425), subject to non-custodial re-education for up to three years or a prison sentence of one to five years.
Projecting laser beams at a pilot's eyes is a safety threat, especially if the aircraft is landing or taking off. Experts have called for a control in sale of laser projecting devices to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
A circus group was responsible for projecting laser beams onto airplanes at Noi Bai International Airport from a hamlet in nearby Soc Son District earlier this month, said Hanoi police. It, however, concerns only one of the four cases in which airplanes at Noi Bai were targeted by laser beams since June, according to the National Committee of Civil Aviation Security.
Related news:
> Circus group responsible for targeting plane with laser: Vietnam police
> Vietnam considers jail time for culprits behind airplane 'lasering'
