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The source of a laser that was shone onto a plane above Noi Bai International Airport was a circus group from a hamlet in nearby Soc Son District, police in Hanoi said Thursday.
They were performing at a stadium having received permission from local authorities, and the show included high-powered lamps.
It is not immediately clear if the police would take any action against the circus group.
This is one of four cases in which airplanes at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi were targeted by laser beams since June, reported the National Committee of Civil Aviation Security. The “laser attacks” are considered violations of international and domestic aviation security regulations.
Earlier, security experts and airport authorities said that the culprits behind several cases of laser beams being projected onto airplanes were probably youngsters, rather than hostile forces.
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 to 100 million ($4,400), non-custodial reducation for up to three years or a prison term 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.
Related news:
> Laser beams threaten planes at Vietnam's international airport
> Vietnam considers jail time for culprits behind airplane 'lasering'
