Teenager arrested after laser light shone at police helicopter

Police arrested the 17-year-old on suspicion of endangering the safety of an aircraft

A 17-year-old was arrested by the PSNI in Derry on Friday on suspicion of shining a laser light at a police helicopter.

Superintendent Mark McEwan said the police helicopter was above the Derry city in support of officers responding to reports of suspicious activity on the ground.

“The 17- year-old boy was spoken to in the presence of his parents,” he said.

“The arrest was made on suspicion of endangering the safety of an aircraft.”

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone

  • Listen to In The News podcast daily for a deep dive on the stories that matter

Rachel Flaherty

Rachel Flaherty

Rachel Flaherty is Digital Features Editor and journalist with The Irish Times