Laser pointed at Delta plane over Long Island

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Nassau County Police said a Delta flight 2294 was struck with a green laser beam as it flew only 3,000 feet above the Plainview-Old Bethpage area of Long Island.

The incident occurred at about 12:02 a.m. on Wednesday as the Boeing 737 was traveling westbound and only four miles from Republic Airport. 

As the pilots made their final approach to LaGuardia Airport, someone shined a green laser on the right side of the plane, according to police.

The beam may have come from Plainview or Old Bethpage. Delta spokeswoman Kate Modolo says the airline is investigating.

It was not immediately clear where the flight was from. It continued to John F. Kennedy Airport without incident.

Pointing a laser at a plane is a federal crime as the light could temporarily blind the pilots.

In 2014, there were 3,894 laser incidents reported in the U.S. by airlines.