Coast Guard helicopter crew targeted with laser pointer

ATLANTIC City, N.J. &shy&ampndash A Coast Guard helicopter crew roughly two miles off the coast of Ocean City, N.J., was targeted by an individual with a laser pointer at about nine p.m. Tuesday.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic Town, N.J., was executing hoist training with a TowBoatUS crew when the helicopter was targeted with a laser pointer. The TowBoatUS crew notified the Ocean City Police Department and watchstanders at Air Station Atlantic City operation&amprsquos middle who in turn notified the Federal Aviation Administration.

Officers from the Ocean City Police Department arrived to the location of the report and took an individual into custody.

The situation is under investigation.

&ampldquoEducating the public on how detrimental lasers can be to our aircrews is essential. Pointing lasers at aircraft jeopardizes the safety of the Coast Guard and industrial airliners and wants to be stopped,&amprdquo said Capt. Nicholas Bartolotta, commanding officer Air Station Atlantic Town.

Even the little laser pointers that are marketed to the common public, when pointed at an aircraft, can have critical and disastrous effects on a pilots&amprsquo vision. There is a important danger to flight safety, specially for helicopters operating reduced altitudes and aircraft taking off or landing. If any aircrew member&amprsquos vision is compromised throughout a flight, Coast Guard flight policies dictate that the aircraft ought to abort their mission. Laser pointers can result in the pilot to see a glare, afterimage, have flash blindness or can even result in short-term loss of evening vision.

Moreover, aircrew members are taken off flight duty for a minimal of 24 several hours and should have their eyes dilated and be cleared by a physician prior to flying once more. This temporary loss of crew has the likely to substantially have an effect on the unit&amprsquos skills to conduct lookup and rescue, teaching and homeland protection missions.

The Foods and Drug Administration regulates the manufacture of laser items and according to an FDA Consumer Security Alert, overpowered green laser pointers may well have been modified to emit much more radiation than originally meant. These overpowered green laser pointers are a severe issue since they can cause lasting eye damage.

New Jersey State Law prohibits the interference with transportation cars which includes autos, aircraft or boats. In addition, federal costs can be brought against the convicted person and can carry a sentence up to 20 decades in prison in addition to fines.

Members of the public who witness an individual committing this crime are strongly encouraged to immediately contact 911 to report the incident.

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