A medical crewmember flying with the UK’s Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) service sustained a burned cornea during a laser strike on September 22. The attack occurred during a repositioning flight to the YAA’s Nostell base and was one of three laser attacks on the operator's helicopters within the week.  

The strike on Friday hit crewmember Alex Clark in the eye. YAA reports that he is expected to make a full recovery.

YAA characterized the attacks as “intermittent and seemingly random [in] nature” and “there appears to be no discernible pattern or motive behind these acts.” According to YAA, the attacks constituted a threat to crew and patients and asked for the public’s help in finding those responsible and reporting them to the police.

YAA chief pilot Owen McTeggart said the attacks constituted a significant danger even if crewmembers are not hit. “It means we cannot land, and the injured person on the ground doesn’t get the care that we are there to provide," he commented. "It doesn’t take much for the eyes to be permanently damaged by a laser, and while the laser itself might not be a danger if it doesn’t contact the eyes, it is a massive distraction for the crew during a critical stage of flight and causes much distress.”