BBC reports
that Virgin Atlantic flight bounded to New York returned back to
London after laser strike.
The incident
happened shortly after take-off from Heathrow airport, Virgin
Atlantic has said.
The crew told
air traffic control there was a "medical issue" with one of
the pilots after the laser hit flight VS05 after take off.
Source:BBC
The flight
was grounded overnight and the 252 passengers put up in hotels.
Police are
currently invastigating but there have been no arrests.Shining a
laser at a plane can be a criminal offence.
Virgin
Atlantic said the flight returned to the west London airport as a "precautionary measure"after the co-pilot reported feeling
unwell.
The airline
apologised to passengers for any inconvenience caused and said it was
working with the authorities to identify the source of the laser.
Passengers
are due to board an alternative flight on Monday, but some complained
about the length of the delay.Photographer Max Earey tweeted:"So
the aircraft lands@10.30 p but you can't get me out again until 1p
tomorrow! REALLY@VirginAtlantic I' losing a whole day of my
trip.However other passengers thought the pilots were right to turn
around, and Virgin had treated them well.
Passenger
Beth McHutchinson told the BBC: "Probably about an hour into the
flight we had a tannoy, and it said the second pilot had been shot in
the eye with a laser during take-off, and we were going back to
Heathrow."
As it
emerges, is not the first time where an laser incident
occurred.According to UK Civil Aviation Authority between January
2009 and June 2015 more than 8.998 laser incidents across the U.K.
country were reported.
Source: BBC News
