Lightning strikes Guernsey to Gatwick passenger flight

An Aeritalia ATR72 turbo prop airliner of the Channel Islands airline Aurigny air services on final approach
An Aeritalia ATR72 turbo prop airliner of the Channel Islands airline Aurigny air services on final approach



An Aurigny flight from Guernsey to Gatwick was struck by lightning on Friday, causing damage to the aircraft's tail.

A small part to the rear of the upper tail of the Embraer 195 plane was damaged.

According to ITV News, engineers carried out work on the aircraft and approved it for service.

Permanent repair to the aircraft is planned for next week.

The Independent reports that the plane landed safely and no-one on board was injured.

An airline spokesman told Crawley News: "We were cleared to land by air traffic control and no other aircraft, operating in the same conditions, were similarly affected. Our aircraft landed normally and no one was injured or adversely affected in any way."

Last year, a pilot was hailed a hero after saving a flight from crashing into the North Sea with just seconds to spare after the plane was struck by lightning.

The Loganair flight from Aberdeen to Sumburgh Airport, Shetland, fell to just 1,100ft before the pilot wrestled back control and applied full power.

It was moments from crashing into the icy water on December 14, when bad weather brought thunderstorms with rain, snow, hail and 70mph winds.

The 30 passengers and three crew on the Saab 2000 aircraft sat in terror as it sent itself into a nosedive.

An Air Accident Investigation Branch report said that after the plane was struck by lightning, the co-pilot declared a mayday as the pilot tried to gain height but every move was overridden by the autopilot.



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