(Image: West Yorkshire Air Ambulance)
Shining lasers at helicopters is putting lives in danger, Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) has warned.
The service has spoken out about the dangers faced by its crews.
Owen McTeggart, chief pilot at YAA, said: "Shining a laser at an air ambulance is incredibly dangerous.
Lives put at risk by laser attacks
"Our helicopters may be on their way to a critically ill or injured patient, or we may already have a patient on board who needs urgent hospital care.
"Anything that distracts a pilot or interferes with the safe operation of the aircraft can put lives at risk."
Laser attacks can temporarily impair a pilot's vision and create dangerous distractions during flight, particularly when operating at night.
West Yorkshire Air Ambulance (Image: West Yorkshire Air Ambulance)
Dangers increase during winter months
With the winter months approaching and daylight hours becoming shorter, the risks are heightened as crews spend more time flying in darkness.
Mr McTeggart said: "Our pilots are highly trained and have procedures in place to manage these situations safely, but as we move towards the winter months and our crews spend more time flying in darkness, we want people to understand the impact their actions can have on an emergency response.
West Yorkshire Air Ambulance (Image: Newsquest)
"We would simply ask people to think about how they would feel if it was them, or someone they loved, who needed our help.
"Please don't do anything that could delay or disrupt our ability to reach a patient when every minute matters."
West Yorkshire Air Ambulance (Image: Newsquest)
'Life-changing consequences' for crews and patients
The warning follows previous comments from Yorkshire Air Ambulance chairman Mike Harrop, who emphasised the serious consequences laser attacks can have.
Mr Harrop said: "But (laser attacks) can, in some cases, have life-changing consequences for the pilot, the crew, and if it's an air ambulance under threat, the patient in the back whose life they are trying to save.
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"Our crew shouldn't fear flying on a shift at YAA, all because someone somewhere finds it amusing to shine lasers at aircraft, or they are ignorant to the dangers they are putting our crew in.
"Regardless of whether YAA is being deliberately targeted or mistaken for another helicopter, it is wholly unacceptable for one of our crew members to suffer an injury due to someone else's reckless actions."
Yorkshire Air Ambulance is urging the public to think carefully about the potential consequences of shining lasers at aircraft, warning that a moment of recklessness could delay life-saving treatment when every second counts.