Lightning strike forces emergency landing

Wednesday 21 November 2018

A private plane was struck by lightning this morning, forcing an emergency landing at Alderney Airport.

The airport staff and the volunteer emergency services in the island were called to action, but luckily the two people on board the light aircraft walked away unharmed after the landing.

An airport spokesman said the plane was a twin-engined private aircraft with just the pilot and one other person on board.

It had to make an emergency landing at 09:47 after "a suspected lightning strike."

The Alderney Airport Fire and Rescue Service was placed on standby as a precaution. The voluntary fire brigade members also reported for duty.

The airport spokesman said the incident didn't have any wider impact on other flights.

"The aircraft was undertaking routine flying training in Alderney but was not locally based. Two people were on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries.

"Commercial flights into and out of Alderney Airport are unaffected and continue to operate as normal.”

Pictured top: Alderney Airport.