Cops search for man who pointed laser beam at landing aircraft

CHENNAI: Police are searching for an unidentified man who pointed a laser beam towards an aircraft at the time of its landing at the airport here on Thursday.

The Indigo Airlines flight from Colombo with 146 passengers was scheduled to land at the Chennai airport at 4.50 am. The aircraft was about to land on the runway and a powerful laser beam was pointed toward the pilot’s cabin. However, the pilot managed to land the flight safely and then informed the ATC.

The airport officials, when checking the radar, found that the laser beam came from Palavanthangal. Later the airport officials, along with the Indigo airlines management, filed a complaint at the airport police station. The police, who registered a case, are trying to identify the person who pointed a laser beam toward the flight.

Pointing laser beams at the aircraft is considered a threat since it can blind the pilots while they are controlling the aircraft in the most crucial phase o