This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/8171316.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Plane divert after lightning hit | Plane divert after lightning hit |
(about 14 hours later) | |
A Paris to Cardiff plane with 51 passengers on board had to be diverted to Exeter on Monday afternoon after being hit by lightning. | A Paris to Cardiff plane with 51 passengers on board had to be diverted to Exeter on Monday afternoon after being hit by lightning. |
The passengers were transferred onto another plane and continued their journey to Cardiff. The plane was not damaged and no one was hurt. | The passengers were transferred onto another plane and continued their journey to Cardiff. The plane was not damaged and no one was hurt. |
It is the second time in three days that a Flybe flight from France to Wales has had to be diverted. | It is the second time in three days that a Flybe flight from France to Wales has had to be diverted. |
On Friday, an aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Gatwick. | On Friday, an aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Gatwick. |
On Monday, the passengers on the plane which was struck by lightning arrived in Cardiff at 1410 BST. They had originally been due to arrive at 1230 BST. | On Monday, the passengers on the plane which was struck by lightning arrived in Cardiff at 1410 BST. They had originally been due to arrive at 1230 BST. |
A spokeswoman for Flybe said the plane landed at Exeter because they have a maintenance depot there. | A spokeswoman for Flybe said the plane landed at Exeter because they have a maintenance depot there. |
Delyth Lloyd, 46, from Cardiff, was returning from a long weekend visiting friends when the plane was hit by lightning around five minutes into the flight. | |
She said passengers were still looking down at the city below but there were black clouds nearby. | |
'Altitude' | |
She said: "You knew were going through a storm. You could see flashes and you could see hailstones. You could see the hailstones below us really sheeting down. | |
"There was huge bang as if something went into the side of us. It was just like a normal bang. It was a big bang. | |
"We all stood up and were bit stunned. I was really frightened." | |
But she said the two passengers behind her did not seem worried even though they thought it might have been a lightening strike. | |
The cabin crew remained calm and it was soon apparent the plane was not losing altitude, she said. | |
Runway | |
The flight continued as normal until the announcement later that it was diverting to Exeter due to a technical fault, she said. | |
On Friday, a runway had to be closed at the West Sussex airport to allow the plane with 46 passengers on board, to land. | On Friday, a runway had to be closed at the West Sussex airport to allow the plane with 46 passengers on board, to land. |
A spokesperson for Flybe said the landing followed a suspected technical fault on the plane which was flying from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Cardiff. | A spokesperson for Flybe said the landing followed a suspected technical fault on the plane which was flying from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Cardiff. |