The FAA has reported at least three laser strikes on airplanes headed to the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, and the FBI and other agencies are offering a reward for information, according to multiple media reports.
According to the FBI, from November to January, the laser strikes were traced to the same general area in Effingham County, which is about 10 to 15 miles northwest of the airport.
Knowingly pointing a laser beam at an aircraft is a federal felony. When aimed at an airplane, a beam of light from a handheld laser can travel more than a mile and illuminate a cockpit, disorienting or temporarily blinding pilots, according to the FBI.
The FBI, the FAA and Effingham County Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie are offering a reward up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Anyone with information should contact FBI Atlanta at 770-216-3000. Anyone who witnesses suspicious activity involving the use of lasers targeting planes should call 911, a local police department or the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office at 912-754-3449.
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