Austrian airplane hit by lightning

An Austrian Airlines Airbus plane was hit by lightning this morning and had to return to Vienna.

Nobody was injured when lightning struck the 6.35am plane from Vienna airport in Schwechat, Lower Austria, to Innsbruck, Tyrol.

Austrian Airlines (AUA) spokesperson Patricia Strampfer explained: “That is nothing unusual in aviation,” adding that lightning is channelled off by the skin of the plane that is constructed in a special way for that reason.

However, it is necessary for the plane to undergo a technical check up afterwards and since there are no technicians for this type of plane in Innsbruck, the Airbus A320 turned around and landed back in Vienna at 8.26am.

According to AUA the passengers were never in danger. The plane was airworthy in spite of the lightning strike.