By Kate Forrester
The Daily Post
GWYNEDD, Wales — A probe has been launched after air ambulance paramedics were dazzled mid-flight by a laser.
The Welsh Ambulance Service helicopter crew were returning in darkness from a call-out on Saturday when they were targeted by the bright green beam, which was being operated by someone on the ground near Ysgol Friars, Bangor. Paramedic Carl Hudson said two members were temporarily blinded after looking at the light, but the pilot luckily managed to shield his eyes just in time.
Welsh Air Ambulance paramedic Carl Hudson Mr Hudson told the Daily Post: “We were returning from a job at about 6.30pm, so it had not been dark for very long.
“A laser was directed by someone on the ground and two of the crew, who were looking in that direction at the time, were dazzled.
“If it had been the pilot, then we could have potentially been brought down. It was incredibly dangerous.
“We have heard about incidents like this happening to the police helicopter before now, but it has never happened to us before.
“We are not usually out in the dark, but we just happened to be returning from our incident.
“If our pilot hadn’t had the presence of mind to cover his eyes in time, we could have ended up on top of Bangor somewhere and if we had had a patient onboard, that’s another person who would have been in serious danger.”
The crew immediately reported the incident to North Wales Police via their radio communication system, who are now looking into it.
Mr Hudson added: “It has been logged and the police sent crews to the area straight away, but as far as we know no-one has been traced yet.
“We want to make people aware of just how dangerous this is. Some people just don’t seem to think about what they are doing.”
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