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Virgin Atlantic plane forced back to Heathrow after laser attack on cockpit
Laser attack forces plane back to London.
A Virgin Atlantic flight had to return to London’s Heathrow Airport after a laser was shone at the cockpit.
Flight VS453 to Tel Aviv, Israel was flying over Paris when the pilots noticed lasers being pointed into the cockpit, resulting in the captain becoming “increasingly challenged.”
As a precaution, the crew turned back to Heathrow, landing safely at the airport an hour and a half later.
Passengers were offered overnight accommodation at an airport hotel before continuing their journeys the next day.
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A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said the crew took the ‘precautionary step’ after the laser attack.
“On 15 March 2021 flight VS453, operating from London Heathrow to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, returned to Heathrow after take-off due to a laser beam incident upon departure,” the spokesperson said.
“The safety and security of our people and our customers is paramount and this was a precautionary step taken by the operating crew.
“We’d like to thank our customers for their patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Laser attacks on aircraft are becoming increasingly more common.
The British Air Line Pilots Association (BALPA) says that 42% of its members have experienced a laser attack in the past 12 months.
Perpetrators of laser attacks on any sort of aircraft in the UK can be given an unlimited fine, imprisoned for five years, or both.