OAN Staff Blake Wolf
10:34 AM – Monday, August 5, 2024
A Delta flight departing from Boston was hit by lightning over the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday evening, causing the plane to divert its destination from Rome back to Boston Logan International Airport.
“Delta flight 112 operating from Boston to Rome returned to Boston out of an abundance of caution after encountering lightning,” said Delta in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration claims it will investigate the incident, stating that “regulations require commercial aircraft to be designed with the ability to withstand lightning strikes.”
According to the National Weather Service, commercial transport passenger airliners are hit by lightning “one or two times a year.” The planes are built to be able to conduct the electrical currents without risking severe damage to the plane.
Passengers have stated that they heard “a small pop” while on their Airbus A330 flight.
Donna Pilat, a passenger on the Delta flight 112 recounted her experience.
“It was a very rough landing back in Boston with fire trucks waiting,” she said. “We could smell the burning rubber from the wheels. They had to tow the plane to a hanger and that’s why we didn’t get our luggage for hours. Long night but could have been worse.”
Fire trucks were seen surrounding the plane as it landed on the tarmac. However, no passengers or crew members required medical attention.
“The flight landed safely and without further incident,” said a Delta spokesperson. “We are working to get our customers to their final destination as quickly as possible, and we apologize for the delay in their travel. The safety of our customers and people remains Delta’s most important priority.”
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