The Department of Homeland Security has issued a notice cautioning residents that anyone found to be beaming a laser at approaching aircraft will be subject to prosecution under federal law.
A laser beam Photo: 123rf.com
This followed reports of a laser beam incident being aimed at the cockpit of an Hawaiian Airline flight from Honolulu to Pago Pago last week.
The pilots of flight HA 465 encountered not one but two laser beams pointed at their line of sight while coming in to land.
Homeland Security said in a statement that the incident is a very serious crime and violation of federal law.
The department said it is illegal to aim laser pointer beams at an aircraft or their flight path with penalties for violating the federal law including up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
This is the third time that arriving Hawaiian Air plane have been struck by a laser beam.
Homeland Security has appealed to the public to help with identifying the person or people carrying out these acts.
With the past two incidents, the culprits were never found.