Laurence Dollimore
THE Guardia Civil have launched an investigation after pilots complained of laser interference while landing at Malaga airport yesterday.
According to AENA, at least three pilots complained of being struck by a laser glare while approaching the Costa del Sol runway, endangering safety and risking causing an accident.
Control towers immediately informed the airport after the string of complaints on Tuesday.
The police were immediately informed.
Air traffic controllers confirmed on Twitter that there were three airplanes arriving in Malaga which complained of a laser ‘dazzle’ during their approach.
Beaming a laser towards a plane is a violation of Article 35.4 of Organic Law 4/2015.
The law says distracting drivers of any vehicle with a light or laser device risks public safety and is a ‘very serious’ infringement.
Hand held lasers can be bought at shops without a licence.
Some 1,500 planes were attacked by lasers in the UK alone last year.
If pilots are distracted at a critical time, such as during landing or take-off, the result could be disastrous.
