Pilot complains of laser interference while landing in Kol
Times of India | 1 April 2024
Kolkata: In another instance of laser beam interference, an IndiGo pilot faced difficulty while landing in Kolkata on Saturday. The airline’s complaint to the airport operator has been taken up with Madhyamgram police station but the cops are yet to locate the source.
According to the complaint, a laser beam directed skyward from near Ganganagar, close to the airport, momentarily blinded the pilots as they were preparing to land around 10 pm. Airport officials said the pilot of flight 6E 2057 from Delhi to Kolkata encountered the problem when he was around 14-18 nautical miles or 25-33 km from the airport.
There were 199 passengers and six crew members on board.
The incident has again triggered alarm among airlines and pilots about the rising cases of violation of curbs imposed on use of lasers near airport. While pilots earlier encountered the problem during festivals, it has now been surfacing during the wedding season as well. Though all complaints have been forwarded to Bidhannagar and Barrackpore cops, officers said it was challenging to identify the locations from where laser beams originate.