Christchurch police searching for person who pointed laser at rescue chopper

Christchurch police are investigating after a person pointed a green laser at a rescue helicopter.

A police spokesperson said officers received a report of a laser being shone briefly at a helicopter as it was landing at Christchurch Hospital at 7pm on Sunday.

“The offender is believed to have been in the Riccarton Ave area,” the spokesperson said.

Police made area enquiries but were unable to locate the suspect.

The Civil Aviation Authority’s website says: “Pointing a laser at an aircraft can affect a pilot’s ability to safely control the plane or helicopter – especially during critical phases of flight like take-off and landing.

“This is particularly dangerous for small aircraft and helicopters but poses a real risk to large aircraft too.

“Laser attacks can leave pilots with flash blindness, where their vision is affected even after the laser is no longer pointing in their direction – sometimes these effects can take days to pass.

“Even when shone from hundreds of metres, or even kilometres away, high-power laser beams pointed at an aircraft can still cause a serious aviation safety risk.”

If the offender is caught, they could face a large fine or even jail time.

Anyone with information should call 105 and reference the event number P058428046.