The FAA says that lasers present a serious problem for pilots because they can distract them or temporarily impair their vision during critical phases of the flight, like landing and take-off.

“This is getting very, very frustrating for Boston MedFlight,” said Rick Kenin, general manager for aviation at the nonprofit organization. “This continues to happen, and it puts the public in danger every time a laser hits one of our helicopters.”

The FAA said that six aircraft, including a Boston MedFlight helicopter, were struck by lasers between midnight and 6 a.m. Wednesday.

“There have been several reports of pilots being temporarily visually impaired by laser exposure,” according to the FAA. “Some of these exposures have resulted in operational problems, including giving up control of the aircraft to another pilot and aborted landings.”


Air crews have reported 32 laser strikes in Boston this year, down from 51 in 2015, according to the FAA.

A bill signed into law in 2012 made pointing a laser at an aircraft a federal offense, the FAA said.

A statement from the FAA listed six aircraft that were struck by lasers in Boston Wednesday: United 389, a Boeing 737; United Parcel Service 1012, a Boeing 767; United 670, a Boeing 737; Spirit Airlines 103, an Airbus A320; Spirit Airlines 640, an Airbus A320; and MedFlight’s Sikorsky [S76] helicopter.

The MedFlight helicopter wasn’t carrying patients when it was struck by the lasers, Kenin said. It was hit twice, first at 1 a.m. as it departed from Tufts Medical Center, and again at 5 a.m. leaving Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

In both cases, the laser appeared to come from the Cambridge side of the Zakim bridge, Kenin said.

“We were very fortunate that, although the laser did enter the cockpit and the cabin, they landed safely,” Kenin said.


State Police were notified and the FAA is investigating the incidents, according to the statement.

Cambridge police confirmed that they responded to three reports of lasers possibly being pointed at aircraft from the city, but said they didn’t find any alleged perpetrators.

“It’s not clear at this stage what the source could be,” police spokesman Jeremy Warnick said.

Just before 2 a.m., a report said the laser appeared to be emanating from somewhere west of MIT; other reports came after 5 a.m. of laser beams originating near First and Binney streets and later near Lambert Street, Warnick said.

“It baffles us why someone would do this,” Kenin said.

A previous version of this story incorrectly described the circumstances in which the MedFlight helicopter was struck by a laser. It was not carrying patients at the time. A previous version also contained an incorrect number of aircraft that were hit by laser strikes. The correct number is six.

Dylan McGuinness can be reached at dylan.mcguinness@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DylMcGuinness.