Emirates plane targeted by laser pointer in 'serious attack'

November 30, 2016

Dubai, Nov 30: An Emirates aircraft was targeted by a laser pointer in an "extremely serious" attack as it flew over Hertfordshire, UK, on Wednesday, November 16, British media has reported.

A Hertfordshire Police spokesman told Daily Mail that a green laser was shone at the plane for "at least a couple of seconds", though this did not cause the flight to change its path.

The incident happened in the vicinity of The Avenue in Bushey, near Watford, at 7.55 pm on November 16.

This incident comes after a British Airways flight was targeted in a laser beam attack as it prepared to land at London's Heathrow Airport in August.

In a statement quoted by the Daily Mail, Inspector Peter Edwards, of Hertfordshire Police, said:

"This is a very serious offence and could have had very grave consequences.

"We are asking those who may have information to help us with our investigation to please come forward and speak to us, as you may have vital evidence."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting crime reference number J2/16/1399, or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

Civil Aviation Authority figures show there were 1,439 laser attacks on aircraft in the UK last year - equivalent to almost four per day.

The area around Heathrow Airport was the most common location with 121 incidents, followed by Birmingham Airport (94) and Manchester Airport (93).

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

Comments