Laser incidents reported by U.S. pilots hit record in 2021 -- report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. government report released Thursday said the number of reported incidents involving aiming of lasers at U.S. airplanes hit a record in 2021 and said regulators should do more to address the problem.

The Government Accountability Officer said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should strengthen its efforts to address the illegal practice that regulators say can pose a serious safety issue. Reported laser incidents rose 42% in 2021 to 9,273.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Diane Craft)