The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a record number of laser strikes against aircrafts in the U.S. in 2021.
The agency said it received 9,723 reports from pilots of lasers being aimed at aircraft in 2021, a 41 percent increase from 2020.
The agency said such incidents are “a serious safety threat” and that pilots can become incapacitated when aircrafts are hit by high-powered lasers. Pilots have reported 244 injuries as a result of laser strikes since data on the issue began to be collected in 2010.
“The FAA continues to educate the public about the hazards of laser strikes because they pose such a serious threat to the safety of the pilot, the passengers and everyone in the vicinity of the aircraft,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement.
A person shining a light at an aircraft can face fines of up to $11,000 for a single offense and up to $38,000 for multiple offenses, as well as criminal penalties from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, according to the FAA.