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Ireland: "High intensity laser attack" during Coast Guard rescue

A Coast Guard helicopter based in Dublin was targeted by what the crew described as "a very high intensity green laser" light on August 22 2021, while looking for a man who fell overboard from a container ship, 16 miles offshore.

The helicopter, working with a Royal National Lifeboat Institution all-weather lifeboat from Wicklow, was able to rescue the man.

The crew was illuminated by laser light both on their flight from Dublin Airport to the ship, and during the return trip as well. It was not stated how much the laser light adversely affected the helicopter's search.

An Garda Siochána police were unable to locate the source of the laser.

From Joe, the Independent, and Q102

Ireland: Rescue helicopter on hoax call targeted by lasers

On April 4 2019, the Shannon-based Rescue 115 helicopter was sent on a call to rescue a woman who reportedly was in the River Shannon. During the search, one or more lasers were pointed at the cockpit. The call was determined to be a hoax and the helicopter crew "stood down."

A spokesman for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport said they do not comment on laser incidents because they are concerned it can lead to copycat incidents.

According to the Irish Examiner, "In 2014 the State Airports (Shannon Group) Act made it illegal to aim laser pens at aircraft. As of August 26 2016, there were 31 reports of lasers deliberately pointed at aircraft in Irish airspace. Since the legislation was introduced, there has been a significant decrease in the number of laser incidents reported by Irish pilots in Irish airspace to Irish Air Traffic Control."

From the Irish Examiner

Ireland: Rescue helicopter targeted with a laser

A coast guard rescue helicopter looking for a missing man was targeted by a laser pen at about 1 am local time on March 14 2015, in Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore), County Donegal, Ireland. The Garda superintendent said ““I must question the thought process of any individual who would endanger rescue personnel answering a call for assistance.” Authorities asked for help in finding the unknown perpetrator.

From Highland Radio and the Irish Mirror

Ireland: Belfast man's laser could have caused "catastrophic and fatal" helicopter crash at 2011 MTV European Music Awards, judge rules

A Crown Court judge sentenced a 28-year-old Belfast man to eight-months in jail, suspended for two years, for aiming a laser pen at a police helicopter as it flew over the site of the MTV European Music Awards on November 6 2011.

The helicopter had been patrolling the crowd outside Odyssey Arena when Aaron McCrory aimed his laser pen at the aircraft. According to the prosecutor, McCrory had targeted the helicopter on several occasions. When questioned, McCrory first blamed children for aiming the laser, then admitted he had done it but handed over a different laser from the one used to hit the aircraft.

McCrory’s defense lawyer said the act was not done deliberately or out of animosity, but he was “messing about and that was reckless.”

At sentencing on October 7 2013, Judge Geoffrey Miller QC said McCrory was “foolish and unthinking…. If the pilot had been blinded, even momentarily, the result for all onboard could have been catastrophic and fatal, and given where the aircraft was, the consequences for those on the ground, you must appreciate, could have been unimaginable in its severity.”

Performers inside the Odyssey Arena included Coldplay, LMFAO, Bruno Mars, Jessie J, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lady Gaga, Snow Patrol, Justin Bieber, David Guetta, Adam Lambert, and Queen.

From UTV

Ireland: Rescue helicopter distracted by laser

An Irish Coast Guard helicopter was distracted by a green laser beam “throughout” a rescue operation in Bray on July 27 2011. Gardai are asking for anyone with knowledge of the perpetrator to contact them.

From
Bray People. Click the “Rescue” tag in the left hand column to find similar stories of disrupted rescue operations in the UK and elsewhere.

Ireland: Man found innocent of "recklessly" illuminating garda helicopter

A jury has found a Tallaght man not guilty of endangerment in a September 12 2009 incident where a garda (police) helicopter pilot was dazzled with a laser pen. During the incident, the helicopter pilot took his hands off the controls in order to block out the green laser beams, which tracked the helicopter. In addition, a fellow crew member said she suffered pain in her eyes and temporary vision loss.

When arrested, Anthony Gaffney, 25, told gardai that he did not realize the laser hazard: “I wasn’t trying to dazzle the pilot. I definitely didn’t mean to cause any hassle. I apologise for wasting police time”.

He was charged with “intentionally or recklessly engaging in conduct creating a substantial risk of death or serious injury to another”. During the two-day trial, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court Judge Patricia Ryan instructed the jury that the State’s case was not that Gaffney acted intentionally, but that he acted recklessly. She then read the legal definition: “conscious disregard of a substantial and unjustifiable risk.”

The jury deliberated for an hour and a half before returning a not guilty verdict.

From BreakingNews.ie (before the verdict), and from Herald.ie and RTÉ (after the verdict)