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Lasers shone at landing aircraft at Exeter and Newquay | Lasers shone at landing aircraft at Exeter and Newquay |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Two passenger planes - one over Exeter, Devon, and one at Newquay, Cornwall - had laser beams shone into their cockpits on Friday night. | Two passenger planes - one over Exeter, Devon, and one at Newquay, Cornwall - had laser beams shone into their cockpits on Friday night. |
A Thomson Airbus from Corfu with about 180 people on board was struck by a beam while it was coming in to land at Exeter at about 20:00 BST. | A Thomson Airbus from Corfu with about 180 people on board was struck by a beam while it was coming in to land at Exeter at about 20:00 BST. |
A Flybe plane from Gatwick with more than 60 on board was hit at Newquay during a descent at 21:17. | A Flybe plane from Gatwick with more than 60 on board was hit at Newquay during a descent at 21:17. |
They landed safely but the pilots could have been blinded, police said. | They landed safely but the pilots could have been blinded, police said. |
Police said the aircraft at Exeter was on final approach, low to the ground and over the city. | Police said the aircraft at Exeter was on final approach, low to the ground and over the city. |
'Crashed aircraft' | 'Crashed aircraft' |
The aircraft was about three miles (4.8km) out from the runway when the pilot reported a "blinding light", Exeter Airport said. | The aircraft was about three miles (4.8km) out from the runway when the pilot reported a "blinding light", Exeter Airport said. |
Airport spokesman Stephen Ayres said: "The captain was disturbed by it, even though he landed the aircraft safely." | Airport spokesman Stephen Ayres said: "The captain was disturbed by it, even though he landed the aircraft safely." |
A report had been filed with the Civil Aviation Authority, he added. | A report had been filed with the Civil Aviation Authority, he added. |
The beam was reported as coming from a sports ground in the Whipton area, on the other side of the M5 motorway from the airport, police said. | The beam was reported as coming from a sports ground in the Whipton area, on the other side of the M5 motorway from the airport, police said. |
The force helicopter was scrambled to find the source of the beam. | The force helicopter was scrambled to find the source of the beam. |
Commenting on both incidents, Ch Insp Brendan Brookshaw, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "Potentially we could have been talking about a crashed aircraft. | Commenting on both incidents, Ch Insp Brendan Brookshaw, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "Potentially we could have been talking about a crashed aircraft. |
"We don't want this to develop into a pattern of behaviour." | |
Police treated such incidents as a possible prelude to a terrorist attack, he added. | Police treated such incidents as a possible prelude to a terrorist attack, he added. |
He said: "Obviously a laser [striking an aircraft] could be a prelude to a missile attack. | He said: "Obviously a laser [striking an aircraft] could be a prelude to a missile attack. |
"We look at it with that level of seriousness." | "We look at it with that level of seriousness." |
People shining lasers at aircraft faced up to five years in prison under Civil Aviation Act, he said. | People shining lasers at aircraft faced up to five years in prison under Civil Aviation Act, he said. |