There have been 27 incidents of laser beams directed at flights this year, sources at Chennai airport said.
The airport has recently witnessed multiple such incidents involving arrival flights, prompting authorities to raise safety concerns.
“We acknowledge that such occurrences are indeed aviation safety concerns and are taken seriously by all stakeholders in the industry,” Chennai Airport, Airports Authority of India, said in a social media post.
Based on inputs from pilots and Air Traffic Control (ATC), the State police are taking prompt action to trace the source of the laser beams and bring the culprits to book, the post added.
“Contrary to the alarmist portrayal, pilots remained calm and in full control while managing the situation, and there was no emergency as implied,” Chennai Airport said.
At a meeting held on Tuesday, it was decided that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) would coordinate with pilots to obtain more precise information on the origin of the laser beam. This will help the police raise public awareness and take punitive action against the offenders.
“We urge certain sections of the media to verify facts with the appropriate authorities before publication to avoid spreading inaccurate or sensationalised information,” the statement added.