British Airways flight travelling to Heathrow diverted after 'being struck by lightning'

Sky News

Updated 8 July 2024 at 9:27 am·1-min read

A plane heading into Heathrow Airport was diverted when it was reportedly hit by lightning.

The British Airways flight from Stuttgart had to land at Gatwick following the strike, according to The Sun.

BA confirmed to Sky News the flight had experienced "adverse weather conditions" without giving further details.

Passengers were driven to their intended destination of Heathrow after BA919 landed at Gatwick just before 2.25pm on Sunday.

A spokesperson for BA said: "The flight diverted due to adverse weather conditions.

"We're sorry for the inconvenience to our customers' travel plans."

No injuries or damage to the plane was reported.

The Met Office confirmed there had been "heavy and thundery downpours" with "frequent lightning" across many parts of England on Sunday, including in London.

Planes being hit by a bolt of lightning during a flight is not as unusual as some travellers may believe, experts have said.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a commercial jet is hit by lightning an average of "one or two times a year".

"They are designed and built to have conducting paths through the plane to take the lightning strike and conduct the currents," its website adds.

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