Lightning strikes Cyprus Airways plane amid storm

A Cyprus Airways plane carrying 49 passengers and a crew of six was hit by lightning amidst the stormy weather on Wednesday.

The plane was flying from Larnaca, south Cyprus to Beirut, Lebanon.

Cyprus Airways Commercial Director, Christos Limnatitis, confirmed the incident in statements to philenews.

He said that lightning strikes, while unpredictable and unavoidable, do not pose a significant risk to modern aircraft thanks to their robust design.

He reassured that passenger safety was not compromised at any point during the flight.

Despite the mid-air scare, the aircraft continued its journey to Beirut, where it landed safely. In a precautionary move, the plane was held at Beirut airport for inspection. 

Cyprus Airways said it took swift action to accommodate the affected passengers and crew, arranging for those who wished to return to Larnaca at their earliest convenience.

In-Cyprus