British Airways flight forced to divert from Heathrow after being ‘struck by lightning’

A British Airways flight had to be diverted after the plane was apparently struck by lightning. The flight, traveling from Stuttgart to Heathrow, was forced to land at Gatwick.

One passenger, Jeco, told The Sun: “The crew were amazing when our flight was struck by lightning on approach to Heathrow,” adding: “It was shocking. The flight had to divert to Gatwick.”

British Airways confirmed the incident and said in a statement: “BA919 was diverted to Gatwick earlier this afternoon due to weather conditions in the region. The flight landed just before 2pm. Customers were flown from Gatwick to Heathrow.”

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Lightning strikes on commercial aircraft are not uncommon. According to Pegasus Airlines, research shows that “every plane is struck by lightning on average once a year.”

He added: “If an aircraft is struck by lightning, it can cause a bright light and a loud noise along with shaking. In the event of lightning, passengers must remain calm and follow the instructions of the flight attendant,” the Mirror reports. .

Aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes by being painted with antistatic paint and designed so that the lightning is directed back into the air. While the sound of the explosion can be alarming to passengers, the damage caused is usually minor or non-existent.

“Only small parts on the outer body of the aircraft could be injured, but it is quite predictable in the case of lightning,” Pegasus explained. “When electricity is discharged by lightning, it can create explosive sounds. But you don’t have to worry.”

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