On the evening of October 31, a 9‑year‑old boy in Nowy Targ used a laser beam to blind a VFR night‑time pilot, prompting a police raid of the child’s home.
Dangerous Play Near the Airport
During a VFR night‑time training flight over Nowy Targ on the evening of October 31, a pilot noticed a powerful laser beam directed from the Osiedle Polana Szaflarska residential area straight into the cockpit, potentially blinding him and jeopardising aircraft control. Police were dispatched immediately and identified the nine‑year‑old boy as the source of the laser. The device was seized as evidence.
Case to be Heard in Family Court
The Polish police announced that the matter will be forwarded to the Family Court in Nowy Targ. Although the child will not face criminal liability due to his age, the court may impose disciplinary measures and his parents will come under guardian supervision. Police warned that aiming a laser at an aircraft poses a severe risk of catastrophic failure or permanent visual injury to the pilot.
Law Strictly Prohibits Such Conduct
Under Article 87a of the Polish Aviation Law, firing a laser beam that could blind a pilot is prohibited, with penalties ranging from fines to criminal liberty restrictions or up to one year in prison. The Polish Penal Code stipulates that creating a direct danger of an aviation disaster can lead to imprisonment of 6 months to 8 years. An example cited was a 2019 Warsaw incident where a pilot’s eye suffered permanent retinal damage from a laser hit.
Appeal to Parents
Police and the Nowy Targ airport authority urged residents to exercise caution. Even though the perpetrator was a child, authorities treat the case with seriousness, reminding that anyone pointing a laser at an aircraft endangers pilots and passengers.
