Laser attacks may lead to 'catastrophe', pilot says

Yorkshire Air Ambulance's chief pilot is warning of the dangers of pointing lasers at helicopters, with the attacks delaying patient care "on a number of occasions".

According to UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) figures, there have been eight laser attacks on emergency helicopters in Yorkshire so far this year.

"If there's a laser in the location where we want to land, we just can't," said Owen McTeggart, from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Marking Air Ambulance Week, the CAA and Yorkshire Air Ambulance are calling for these attacks, which can distract the pilot and cause permanent eye damage, to stop.

Laser attacks on air ambulance helicopters happen every month across the UK, according to the CAA, but the chief pilot reported a noticeable rise in incidences from autumn through to spring.

"Each pilot will get at least two or three laser events over the winter period," McTeggart said, adding he had been targeted "more times than I care to remember".

Two members of Yorkshire Air Ambulance staff have had to take weeks off work due to temporary eye damage from lasers in recent years, according to the charity.

"If it happened [closer] to the ground there could be permanent eye damage, which is the end of somebody's career, or worse, a catastrophe," the chief pilot said.

In 2025 there were 94 cases of emergency helicopters being attacked with lasers across the UK, the CAA found.

Targeting an aircraft with a laser is a criminal offence and carries an unlimited fine and up to five years in prison.

Glenn Bradley, CAA head of flight operations, said: "These attacks need to stop.

"Every month we see these vital flights potentially disrupted and their pilots subject to long-lasting eye damage.

"Everyone must recognise that this is totally unacceptable."

McTeggart stressed that being targeted by lasers ultimately impacted patient care.

"Somebody's in their moment of utmost need - delaying care from our doctor and paramedic lead team is horrendous.

"Either we can't land where the patient is, so we've got to circle, which costs us money and being charity funded that's never a good thing.

"Or we've got to find somewhere else to land further away from the patient."

He concluded: "It could be your loved one, a friend of yours, somebody you care about, it could be the person we're trying to help - so just don't do it please."

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