Two JetBlue pilots had to land an aircraft blindly after green lasers were shot into their eyes at a Florida airport.
As the flight was approaching the runway at Palm Beach International Airport around 7 p.m. on Monday, a laser was shined into the cockpit, the FAA tells NBC. The flight left from New York's LaGuardia Airport.
"Thankfully they were able to land the jet safely," the sheriff's office said according to NBC. "There has been an ongoing problem with the misuse of a green laser that has been pointed into the cockpits of aircrafts landing at PBIA."
This isn't just a problem in Palm Beach. Other cities have also noticed an increase in laser pointing.
According to NBC, there were 36 laser incident in Palm Beach and Boca Raton from Jan. 1 to Nov. 15. There were 279 incidents across the state and 3434 across the nation.
NBC New York says there has been a 17 percent increase from last year. New York has had many incidents as well. Lasers were pointed at cockpits 17 times at JFK airport. There were 54 instances at LaGuardia airport and 18 at Newark.
Misusing a laser is a felony. Any person who knowingly and willfully shines, points, or focuses the beam of a laser lighting device at a person who is operating a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft faces felony charges.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
