Dozens of people used laser pointers to shine lights at a plane flying over a fireworks festival in Mexico. The video of this incident became very popular on TikTok, with over 30 million views. Pointing lasers at planes is against the law in Mexico and most other countries.
Dozens of people pointed laser pointers at a plane flying over a fireworks festival in Mexico. A video of this incident on TikTok got over 30 million views. Pointing lasers at planes is against the law in most countries and can lead to five years in prison in the US.
This happened during the National Pyrotechnic Festival in Tultepec, near Mexico City, which attracts about 100,000 people yearly. The video shows the plane flying with green laser beams aimed at it, and more people joining in until about a dozen lasers were shining at the jet.
It’s unclear which airline operated the plane or who these people were. Pointing lasers at planes is dangerous and illegal, and there have been similar incidents before, including one involving the Pope’s plane in 2016. There has been a sharp rise in such incidents in the US, with a record 13,000 reports last year alone.
The Federal Aviation Administration warns that shining lasers at aircraft puts lives at risk. The most-liked comment on the video, which has been seen over 30 million times on the app, says: “It’s amazing how stupid they are.”
The regulator also issued a reminder on X about such incidents: “Shining lasers at airplanes and helicopters puts lives at risk. Laser strikes are also a federal crime.”
That came after a 29-year-old man was charged with aiming a laser pointer at a Delta Air Lines jet near Buffalo, New York. Joseph Crapsi could face five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if he’s found guilty.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of laser safety, particularly around airports and flight paths. Shining a laser at an aircraft is a serious offense, with hefty fines and even jail time as potential consequences.