Strait of Juan de Fuca laser incident facts for kids
On April 4, 1997, something unusual happened in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A helicopter from the Canadian Armed Forces was flying near a Russian ship called the Kapitan Man. This ship was thought to be a spy ship. Suddenly, a bright light, possibly a laser, hit the helicopter. The pilot from the Royal Canadian Air Force and a passenger from the United States Navy were hurt. They both felt pain in their eyes. They also had injuries that looked like they were caused by a laser. However, later investigations could not prove that a laser attack actually happened.
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Why Was the Helicopter There?
The Kapitan Man had been involved in suspicious activities before. Because of this, the Canadian Forces sent a CH-124 helicopter to check it out. The helicopter's job was to fly near the ship and take pictures. They were especially interested in the ship's unusual antenna structure. This type of antenna often means a ship is collecting secret electronic information. In 1993, the United States Coast Guard had even taken away special underwater listening equipment from the Kapitan Man.
At the time of this incident, the Kapitan Man was about 5 nautical miles (about 9 kilometers) north of Port Angeles, Washington. This meant it was inside U.S. waters.
Who Was on the Helicopter?
On board the helicopter were Lieutenant Jack Daly from the United States Navy and Captain Patrick Barnes, the pilot from the Canadian Forces. Lt. Daly was a special officer who worked with both U.S. and Canadian forces. He helped watch for spy ships from Russia, China, and other countries. These ships often operated in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This strait separates British Columbia in Canada from Washington in the U.S. It's also near Puget Sound, where the U.S. has important naval bases.
What Happened to Their Eyes?
While Lt. Daly was taking pictures of the ship, he suddenly felt intense pain in his right eye. He also became temporarily blind. After doctors checked him, they believed he had direct laser burns to his eye. He also had other vision problems and bad headaches.
Lt. Daly said that Captain Barnes was also hurt in a similar way. Captain Barnes was permanently stopped from flying because of this incident. He lost all his flight qualifications. A medical report from the U.S. Army suggested that the crew was most likely hit by a laser.
Living with the Injuries
In 1999, Lt. Daly spoke to a U.S. government committee about what happened. He said that both he and Captain Barnes became very sensitive to sunlight and other bright lights. It became impossible for them to drive at night or watch movies. He said, "The only form of even momentary relief that either one of us can rely on is sitting in the dark with our eyes closed." He also spoke on a TV show, saying he had been in constant pain since the incident.
Searching the Ship
Soon after the incident, United States Coast Guard teams were allowed to search the Kapitan Man. However, they only had two hours and were not given full access to all parts of the ship. They did not find a laser. It was also reported that the U.S. government had warned the Russian government beforehand that the ship would be searched.
Lawsuit and Award Request
In 2002, Lt. Daly sued the Russian company that owned the Kapitan Man. His lawyer argued that the company was responsible for the laser attack. However, the company's lawyer said there was no proof of a laser on the ship. After a day of discussions, the jury decided that the laser attack could not be directly linked to the ship's owner. Lt. Daly's lawyer felt the case was difficult because of resistance from the U.S. government and some decisions made by the judge.
In 2004, Lt. Daly was recommended for the Purple Heart award. This award is given to soldiers wounded by enemy forces. However, the Navy's top officer denied the request. He said that even if a laser caused the injuries, there was no reason to call the ship a "hostile force" or the incident a "terrorist act." He stated that while they regretted Lt. Daly's injuries, the facts did not support giving him the Purple Heart.
