# Laser blinds pilot, Malaysia Airlines flight circles before Kolkata landing 2026-08-09T10:42:39+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur carrying 159 passengers had to circle over Kolkata after a laser beam disoriented the pilot during approach on Saturday night. Flight MH-184 was about eight nautical miles from the runway when a bright laser flashed into the cockpit from the Madhyamgram-Barasat side, airport sources told PTI. The pilot’s vision was temporarily affected, delaying the landing from 11.20 pm to 11.25 pm. All passengers and crew were safe. Kolkata airport director Vikram Singh said laser use around the airport is prohibited but such incidents occur occasionally. A complaint has been lodged with the NSCBI Airport Police Station, which is investigating. Pilots have previously complained about laser beams during take-off and landing, including during the 2025 Durga Puja festival at Sreebhumi, when a laser show was stopped. Intense laser beams can cause temporary blindness, posing risks during critical flight phases, according to sources. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com - hindustantimes.com - news.abplive.com - timesnownews.com Tags: aviation safety, flight incident, Kolkata airport, laser blinding, Malaysia Airlines, pilot distraction Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/laser-blinds-malaysia-airlines-pilot-near-kolkata-flight-circles/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/laser-blinds-malaysia-airlines-pilot-near-kolkata-flight-circles/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.