PIKANGIKUM FIRST NATION, Ont. -- A pair of Ornge air ambulances were targeted by laser-wielding assailants on Sunday and Monday, including a flight from Pikangikum First Nation to Winnipeg.
In a release issue on Monday by the company, Ornge officials said the helicopter on Sunday was transporting a patient from the First Nation to Winnipeg when the report of a laser beam was made. The attack lasted about two minutes in duration.
There were no injuries, and the patient and crew made it to the Manitoba capital without further incident.
The other laser-related incident took place on a flight between Barrie and Toronto early on Monday.
“Pointing an illuminated laser at an aircraft is extremely dangerous,” said Peter Cunningham, Ornge’s director of flight operations, rotor wing, in the release.
“Not only is it a criminal offence, lasers put the health and safety of pilots, paramedics and patients on board our aircraft at risk.”
A laser can not only distract pilots, but cause temporary or permanent blindness. Under the Aeronautics act, if caught, a suspect can face $100,000 in fines, five years in prison, or both.
Ornge officials encourage anyone with knowledge of person’s point a laser toward an aircraft to report them to local police.
