LifeFlight of Maine says a laser was pointed directly at one of its helicopters on a recent evening in Scarborough as it was returning to its base in Sanford.
The nonprofit air ambulance service says laser strikes are dangerous because the light can amplify in the cockpit and temporarily blind the crew, and even cause permanent eye damage.
While no one was injured in the incident, LifeFlight chief pilot Kirk Donovan says there's a concerning uptick of laser strikes across the U.S.
"The reported laser strikes from 2020 was 6,600 and change. In 2023, it's doubled over 13,300 reported laser strikes," Donovan says.
In Maine, 24 incidents have been reported so far this year. Lifeflight's director of aviation, Josh Dickson, says perpetrators can face serious consequences.
"Not only legally to them, besides fines and actually jail time for this, but, more importantly, they can injure our flight crew and prevent them from helping somebody when they need it most," he says.
