Maine
Maine LifeFlight helicopters disrupted by laser strike
LifeFlight crews talk on the tarmac at the Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport in July. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
A LifeFlight crew was disrupted by a laser last week while flying back to their base in Sanford.
The light was pointed at the helicopter, which was flying at about 2,000 feet in the air around 7:45 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, according to LifeFlight of Maine, a nonprofit that provides emergency medical transportation. While the pilot was able to fly back safely, those flashes of light can temporarily blind the crew, who are often wearing night vision goggles, the company said.
The Federal Aviation Administration has monitored thousands of nationwide laser strikes, where someone points the beam at an aircraft. As of Sept. 30, a total of 8,863 incidents were reported to the agency, 24 of which happened in Maine. In 2023, the nationwide total was 13,304.
This is the fourth laser strike reported by a Maine LifeFlight pilot in two years, the company said.
Pointing a laser at aircraft is a federal crime, punishable by a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. And according to Maine law, pointing a laser at a uniformed law enforcement officer or injuring another person with a laser is a Class D crime.
This story will be updated.