The chief pilot of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance has warned that laser attacks on emergency helicopters could lead to catastrophe, as the charity and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) call for the practice to stop during Air Ambulance Week. Owen McTeggart said such attacks, which can distract pilots and cause eye damage, have on several occasions delayed patient care by forcing crews to circle or land further from those in need.

The CAA recorded eight laser attacks on emergency helicopters in Yorkshire so far this year, and 94 across the UK in 2025, with incidents rising notably between autumn and spring. McTeggart said pilots typically face two or three such events each winter, and two Yorkshire Air Ambulance staff members have had to take weeks off work due to temporary eye damage. Targeting an aircraft with a laser is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine and up to five years in prison, and the CAA's Glenn Bradley said the attacks "need to stop", calling them "totally unacceptable".