HARARE– A multi-agency investigation is underway following an alarming incident involving ground lasers targeting the pilots flying President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The incident occurred on the evening of July 12 as the President’s Air Zimbabwe Boeing 737 was approaching Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, sources revealed to ZimLive.
The pilots reported being temporarily blinded by laser-like lights during the approach, leading authorities to take the incident “very seriously.” The investigation involves the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, the Air Force of Zimbabwe, police, and intelligence services.
Presidency spokesman George Charamba acknowledged the incident but refrained from providing detailed information to avoid compromising the ongoing investigation.
“I can confirm the incident which has affected or menaced many other airports, foremost Gatwick in England. The misdemeanour has to be nipped in the bud,” Charamba stated.
Investigators are also looking into potential connections with recent break-ins at the private residences of the President, his son David, and the offices of his nephew, Tongai Mnangagwa, during which no valuable items were stolen.
Laser strikes, where high-powered lasers are pointed at airplanes during takeoff or landing, are a growing concern in Europe and the United States but are rare in Zimbabwe. These incidents can distract, disorient, or even temporarily blind pilots during critical flight phases.
According to a January report by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 9,652 laser incidents occurred below 10,000 feet in 2023. The British Airline Pilots Association reported just over 1,000 laser strikes in the United Kingdom, where offenders can face up to five years in prison.
Although no airplane crashes have been directly attributed to laser strikes, they pose significant risks to pilots’ health and safety, often requiring them to undergo ophthalmology evaluations and take medical leave following such incidents.
President Mnangagwa is currently serving his second and final five-year term. However, his loyalists are lobbying for him to remain in office until at least 2030, despite legal experts deeming such an extension unconstitutional.
While Mnangagwa has stated his intention to retire at the end of his term in 2028, his reluctance to quell the lobbying efforts has fueled uncertainty and concern within Zanu PF, particularly among supporters of his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, who is seen as a potential successor.
Source: ZimLive
