The storms throughout Austria not only caused chaos on the streets, but also at Austrian Airlines. Two AUA aircraft were struck by lightning. The machines had to return to Schwechat. Among the passengers on Tuesday was top EU politician Othmar Karas, who had to witness the terrifying minutes.
Big shock for the turquoise EU mandate: As soon as an AUA plane that left for Brussels on Tuesday afternoon reached altitude, “suddenly a bright light” flashed from the cloud cover near the window where he was sitting. “In addition to this flash, I also heard a bang for a second and initially thought the plane had hit a bird,” Karas said in the “Krone” interview, describing the unusual experience high above Austria.
Plane returned to Vienna
An immediate message from the pilot came from the cockpit. Karas heard the reassuring message that the engine was not damaged. “But we returned to Vienna anyway. Some weft holes were discovered there, which forced us to switch to another machine,” said the representative. Despite the dramatic incident, he did not feel threatened. Postscript: “I’ve honestly never experienced anything like this.”
An event like this probably gives every passenger an uneasy feeling: late on Monday evening at 6:23 PM, an AUA plane had already taken off towards Naples and was suddenly struck by lightning in the middle of the storm near Ödenburg in Hungary (see screenshot) . The plane could not continue its journey and had to return to the airport in Schwechat.
The journey continued on Tuesday
According to a reporter from the ‘Krone’ reader, whose sister-in-law was also on the plane, there was no panic: “The turbulence would have been noticeable and the passengers were put up in hotels on Tuesday.” were able to start their journey competing again. The incident was also confirmed by the AUA: “Yesterday’s flight OS 543 was struck by lightning. The machine has been safely returned to Vienna and is currently undergoing a technical inspection.”
Is flying during thunderstorms dangerous?
But no one should fear their next flight. Because thunderstorms are not dangerous to aircraft in the sky. Turbulence can occur during heavy storms, but a jet plane can handle this well. In general, it is rare for an aircraft to fly directly through a storm; pilots usually try to avoid this.
Lightning is only conducted by aircraft
Even a lightning strike on an aircraft does not pose a danger to passengers and pilots: passenger aircraft are made of thick metal, which can withstand a lot of stress and prevent lightning from entering the cabin. On the other hand, planes in the sky are not connected to the ground. Because aircraft have no physical contact with the ground, lightning technically cannot strike the aircraft at all, it merely travels through the aircraft.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
