Panic as Atlas jet forced to make emergency landing after lightning strike

A Turkish Airways and an Atlas-Global jet flying from from Istanbul to Ercan narrowly escaped accident as they were forced to make an emergency landing at Çanakkale Military Airport in Turkey after the front of the plane was struck by hailstorm, leaving passengers in panic.

The two airplanes were seriously affected by the hailstorm as the nose and part of the port side of one of the jet wing was damaged while the windows of the cockpit had cracked which made landing difficult because the cockpit windscreen had been smashed.

Atlas Global’s Airbus A320 saw the most damage when it attempted to leave from Ataturk Airport in Istanbul to Ercan in North Cyprus reports inCyprus.

Just a few minutes after take-off, at 5,000 feet, a sudden hailstorm broke out causing serious damage to the cockpit of the Atlas Global’s Airbus.

Having been struck also by a thunderbolt the plane also saw damages to its radio communication systems said the report.

Having no alternative the pilot requested to return to Istanbul airport and performed an emergency landing.

No passengers were wounded in the incidents, announced by the Turkish Cypriot transportation office.