- A passenger captured a video showing a laser pointing at an aircraft above Melbourne, Australia.
- Targeting a plane with a laser pointer is a criminal offense in many countries.
A passenger filmed what appeared to be a green laser pointing directly at an aircraft as it flew over Australia.
In a 28-second clip shared on Reddit on Wednesday, a green beam of light can be seen repeatedly shining at the plane.
The caption for the clip reads: "Was traveling back last night and noticed someone shooting lazer at our flight. Just wondering if this is illegal in Australia?"
The user did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.
Someone pointing lazer at our plane
byu/Zeokar inaustralia
Yahoo reported that the video was shot over Melbourne, Australia, and that a Victoria Police spokesperson had confirmed that targeting a plane with a laser pointer was a criminal offense.
They said that anyone found to be doing so could be charged with reckless conduct that could endanger life, interfering with aircraft crew members, and being in possession of a prohibited weapon.
In Victoria, the southeastern state where Melbourne is located, laser pointers are defined as prohibited weapons.
An Australian government document says Victoria prohibits "a hand-held batteryoperated article commonly known as a 'laser pointer' designed or adapted to emit a laser beam with an accessible emission limit of greater than 1 mW."
Victoria Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.
Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft is also illegal in the US, where it is considered a federal crime.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), shining a high-powered laser at an aircraft can cause pilots to become "completely" incapacitated, endangering the lives of passengers.
"Aiming a laser at an aircraft is a serious safety risk and violates federal law. Many high-powered lasers can completely incapacitate pilots who are trying to fly safely to their destinations and may be carrying hundreds of passengers," its website says.
The FAA also said that anyone caught shining a laser pointer could face civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation.
The FAA reported 9,457 laser strikes against aircraft in the US in 2022.