Lightning strikes British Airways flight, causing emergency diversion, leaving passengers ‘shocked’

Passengers on a British Airways flight were left terrified after their plane was struck by lightning, causing an unexpected diversion to Gatwick Airport.

The plane, which was due to fly from Stuttgart to Heathrow, had to change course due to the incident. “The crew were amazing when our flight was struck by lightning on approach to Heathrow,” passenger Jeco said, according to the Sun. “It was shocking. The flight had to be diverted to Gatwick.”

In response to the incident, British Airways issued a statement: “Flight BA919 was diverted to Gatwick earlier this afternoon due to weather conditions in the area. The flight landed just before 2pm. Customers were taken from Gatwick to Heathrow.” To get the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter

Lightning strikes are not uncommon for commercial aircraft. Pegasus Airlines pointed out that research has shown that “every aircraft is struck by lightning once a year on average,” the Mirror reported. The airline also explained: “If an aircraft is struck by lightning, it can cause a bright flash of light and a loud rumbling noise accompanied by shaking. In the event of a lightning strike, passengers should remain calm and follow the flight attendant’s instructions.”

Aircraft are designed with safety measures such as anti-static paint and engineering that allows lightning to pass through without causing significant damage. Lightning strikes typically cause little to no damage, although they can be startling due to the loud noises. “Only small parts of the aircraft’s outer shell can be damaged, but that’s pretty predictable in the event of a lightning strike,” Pegasus Airlines said. “When electricity is discharged by lightning, it can create explosion sounds. But there’s no need to worry.”