The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after 11 commercial flights reported they were illuminated by lasers while flying over New Jersey.
The incidents occurred Wednesday between 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., the FAA said in a statement Thursday.
The lasers hit the left and right sides of the cockpits, along with the sides of the planes. There were no reports of injuries.
Blinding: Eleven commercial flights reported lasers illuminated their aircraft (stock photo shown) Wednesday night as they flew over new york limo service Jersey between the hours of 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration
Lighting up: Several of the incidents were reported to be coming from around four miles southwest of Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark
Lasers can distract or temporarily blind pilots. Pointing one at a plane is a federal crime.
The FAA says at least three of the incidents involved flights near Newark Liberty International Airport.
Porter 141 was at 3,000 feet 15 miles southwest of the airport; American Airlines 1472 was 20 miles southwest; and American Airlines 966 was at 3,000 feet, 15 miles south of Newark.
Three flights were at 3,000 feet and were 4 miles south of the Outerbridge Crossing, which connects Perth Amboy to Staten Island, new york limo service York.
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On the up: The number of nationwide laser hits is climbing each year, the Federal Aviation Administration said, from 2,800 incidents in 2010 to 3,400 in 2012 and more than 3,900 in 2013, an all-time high
Hazard: There were no injuries reported overnight, and the FAA is investigating the multiple incidents
American Flight 348 was at 9,000 feet, headed to LaGuardia Airport.
Two flights were over Monmouth County. Republic Airlines 4632 was at 9,000 feet, bound for Pittsburgh and United 330 was at 9,000 feet.
JetBlue Flight 2779 did not report its location, and one aircraft reported it was hit by a laser over Ocean City, the FAA said.
Pointing a laser into a cockpit is a federal crime that carries a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI launched a campaign in January aimed at people who focus potentially blinding lasers at airplanes, and is offering as much as $10,000 for any information leading to the arrest of an individual who intentionally aims a laser at an aircraft.
The number of nationwide laser hits is climbing each year, the Federal Aviation Administration said, from 2,200 incidents in 2010 to 3,400 in 2012 and more than 3,900 in 2013, an all-time high. That's more than 10 incidents every day across the country.
Newark Airport had 28 reported laser-pointing incidents last year, according to the office of Sen.Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The most recent were two incidents were this March.
Nearby new york limo service York City airports have reported similar incidents, particularly with green lasers, which are considered more dangerous than red lasers because they are more visible to the human eye.
In 2014, Schumer's office reported, there were 17 green laser incidents out of a total 19 laser incidents at John F. Kennedy International Airport and 37 green laser incidents out of a total 41 laser incidents at LaGuardia Airport.