Laser strike on plane

Police were late last night trying to find the person who shone a laser directly at the cockpit of an Air NZ flight landing at Hawke's Bay Airport, north of Napier. Senior Sergeant Kevin Stewart of Eastern Police District Command Centre, said the pilot of the flight from Wellington reported having been struck by the beam twice – just before landing on Thursday. The maximum penalty for endangering transport, which is 14 years' imprisonment, or up to three years in prison or a fine up to $2000 if convicted of possession of a highpowered laser.