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UK: Police copter abandons search for missing North Yorkshire woman, due to 6-year-old aiming laser pen

A North Yorkshire Police helicopter was searching in Selby, a town 14 miles south of York, for a missing 89-year-old woman on September 27 2014 when the aircraft was struck by a laser beam. The pilot was forced to abandon the search for about 10 minutes, in order to direct ground officers. They found a six-year-old boy had been aiming a laser pen at the aircraft.

The officers spoke to the child’s parents, telling them that shining light in pilots’ eyes is dangerous. The boy was said to have had no malicious intent.

The missing woman was later located “safe and well,” according to police quoted in an October 2 2014 news story.

From YorkPress.com